Lessons Learned
by Blue is the New Red
Summary: She was supposed to be the tutor, he was supposed to be the student. How is it that she learned so much from him? Advanceshipping AaMayL AshxMay
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Surviving**

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><p><strong>Just a side note, I wrote this a while ago, so it may be a little sloppy.<strong>

**I know some of you people hate these kinds of stories… but I figured I'd take a try at it (It seemed like a good idea at the time -_-) I wrote this back last October, so this may not be as good as my previous writing. If you don't like this, I promise the other four stories are a**

**_huge _step up from this.**

**So I'm taking a swing at the classic AU highschool setting blah blah blah ("But what happened to your "****_be original_" deal! :( D: T_T") I wrote this before I came up with that. But I did set it a bit apart from the other stories.**

**I don't own Pokémon.**

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><p><em>"Ms. Maple..."<br>_  
>"Hm?"<p>

"Maybe you can answer this question: If 38.5 grams of potassium react with excess oxygen gas, how many grams of potassium oxide can be produced?"

May Maple thought for a moment, her mind reeling trough everything she had learned recently, doing several quick calculations in her head.

"46.4 grams of potassium oxide..." was her answer. The teacher smiled and nodded.

"Very good Ms. Maple, okay, class is dismissed... Remember, there will be a quiz tomorrow, so make sure to study chapter 28 as much as you can!"

Everyone in the room sighed in relief. They collected their books and papers, not that they were of any importance, all they had were doodles and pencil smudges on them. Nobody really paid close attention to the chemistry class.

Except of course... For May...

May Maple was a quiet person; she had long brown hair and sapphire blue eyes. She kept mostly to herself, only speaking up when asked a question. The most important thing to her was her education. May Maple was a smart girl, she knew she could do well and go off to some big name college, forgetting the horrible nightmare that was high school.

"Out of my way, Dweeb Girl!" Someone shouted pushing the poor brunette to the side, knocking her many books from her arms.

You see, May wasn't exactly the most well respected teen in the school, she was rather different, automatically making her an "Odd ball" or "dweeb" as the other students called it. The Oddballs was where students who seemed different from everyone else who were categorized, and typically, people in this group weren't treated with much respect by the other children.

With a sigh, May leaned down and began to pick up the books she had dropped, avoiding the merciless feet that would step on her thin fingers if given the chance.

_"Here, let me help you."_

A girl with black hair leaned down to help May. The girl wore a black hoodie, a white and black striped T-shirt under it, black, torn jeans, and black shoes. One her wrists where thick, black bracelets and she wore black eyeliner.

"Thanks Dawn," May said gratefully.

"No problem, don't worry, I'll deal with that jerk later."

Dawn was also a girl who was considered an Oddball. How was she different? Dawn was emo. Although she had been categorized in the lowest group on the chart along with May, people tended to veer away from Dawn, because they knew she would go to any level to get a satisfying revenge for doing something that made her angry. The only time May ever felt secure at school was around Dawn, because she knew nobody would dare lay a finger on her without feeling Dawn's wrath. But Dawn was not just May's guardian, but was also May's only friend.

The two outcasts never did much together, May was too busy studying to hangout, and Dawn hated the sun, explaining her pale skin. Dawn would just talk about what mischievous thing she did during this or that class while they ate lunch in the cafeteria, or how she planned to get someone later for sticking gum on the bottom of her desk. May normally just listened, she would occasionally help Dawn figure out a problem in her homework or help her pass a test, but otherwise, the two never hung out after school.

"You will not believe what Gary Oak did!" Dawn said, handing May her books back.

"What?" May asked, raising a brow.

"He unplugged the pencil sharpener as I was trying to use it!" Dawn exclaimed furiously.

Gary Oak was the only person who, besides May of course, was not afraid of Dawn, and seemed to have a strange passion to annoying the crap out of her. It didn't matter how many rotten banana peels she put in his locker, he never gave up trying to annoy her. May found him to be rather childish and immature.

"How immature of him..." May said. Dawn huffed in agreement as her rage built up simply thinking about Gary Oak.

"**OOOOH!**" Dawn growled in frustration, "I'm going to tie the jerk to a tree, stuff his face with sauerkraut, and pull every single hair from his head... One. By. **One**!"

May of course, being the girl she was, replied, "That would take a long time, there are over-"

"I know... I know..." Dawn cut her off, "I don't feel like having my head explode right now..."

She often referred to her head exploding when May gave her an excessive amount of information, or simply a fact that blew her mind. Dawn wasn't exactly the brightest bulb of the bunch, but thanks to several of May's tutoring sessions, she was able to make it through each grade.

May glanced down at Dawn's wrists and noticed some wounds under her bracelets that she had never seen before, adding to the collection of scars on the girl's wrists. May always had wanted to try to stop Dawn from doing horrible things to herself like that, but Dawn never budged, there was nothing that could stop her.

"Dawn... I told you..." May said, gesturing to her friends wrists. Upon reflex, Dawn tried to hide the new marks.

"My mom came home with that stupid guy again! That drunk jerk, he... He..." Dawn's voice lowered she seemed unable to continue. May knew better than to try to pursue the topic. She said goodbye to the now even more depressed than before Dawn, and left. She walked out the door and down the steps heading towards the road hoping to get off the campus before...

***WHAM!***

_Anything bad happened..._

May felt someone slam into her and she tumbled into the grass along with whatever hit her.

Or _whoever _hit her...

Several classmates laughed as she grumpily tried to get up.

_"Watch where you're going!"_

May looked up and saw a mad boy who had a red cap with half a Pokéball on it and messy black hair, his jeans were stained green and his vest covered in grass.

"I-I'm sorry..." May managed to say, wishing she hadn't left Dawn.

"Be more careful! Arceus! Now I'll never find Pikachu!" He said before stomping off. May looked down and picked up her books again and hurried off before any other disaster could occur.  
><strong><br>**

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><p>"Hey May," A small boy with large glasses said as May walked through the door of her home, "Do you want to play a board game?"<p>

The boy's name was Max, he wasn't as much into school, but liked to have fun, the complete opposite of his sister. May's entire day consisted of school, homework, and if she had time... Extra studying.

"No..." May said automatically. May's parents, Caroline and Norman had noticed that this had become routine. May would come home; Max would ask if she wanted to play a board game. She would always say no and disappear in her room and not come out at all except for when she had to eat dinner, which she ate wordlessly.

May went up to her room and locked her door, she took out her iPod and put the headphones in her ears and quickly went through her homework. When she heard her mother call her for dinner, she wordlessly put down her pencil and went down stairs to the table.

_It had all become routine..._

From May's perspective, anything that happened at home was always the same, the only way she could tell one day from the other was based off what she had eaten for dinner.

But tonight... Was going to be a different night, that would change her life forever. One fateful statement, one simple command, would flip May Maple's world upside-down.

"May, I'm going to take you to the gym to help me clean up a bit okay?" her father asked. It was a simple task, but one that didn't appeal to May, none-the-less.

"But I have homework to do," She protested.

"May, your Mother and I have looked at your report cards, I'm sure you can afford to miss a few questions one tonight.

"But-"

"No '_but_'s young lady, you're help your father tonight whether you like it or not!" her mother said. May slammed her fork on table and stood up.

"You both are unbelievable!" She shouted as she stomped away from the dinner table. Her parents exchanged glances; they had planned for her to do it to get her out of the house. She was so quiet, once she reached high school, her normally perky and cheerful mood had disappeared.

May found herself leaning against her door in her room, sighing depressingly. She looked around her room, which was spick and span. On her walls hung a few posters of famous coordinators she used to look up to. But those dreams had been long forgotten.

"May..." her father said gently from the other side of the door. "Are you ready to go?" May took another deep breath before opening her door and stepping out to see her smiling father.

"Yeah," she said sadly, "Let's get this over with..."

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><p>May had turned her stupid headphones on full blast, but still couldn't hear anything over the stupid vacuum whirring loudly had it sucked up the dust on the floor.<p>

_As if this could be any worse._

She didn't think she was even getting paid. She wished that she was in her room, at her desk, studying.

_Maybe I should turn emo too_... She thought to herself, actually, it didn't sound like a bad idea, if she acted like Dawn, maybe kids would mistreat her as much. She had never talked to her parents about how she was abused at school, and the principle and teachers didn't seem to pay any attention or care...

_I have to solve my own problems_... She thought to herself.

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><p>May sat down in her chemistry class putting her books away and setting up her desk even neater than it already was.<p>

"Alright kids, like I said yesterday, there will be a quiz today, counting as a third of your semester grade, so I hope you studied Chapter 28 enough to pass." the teacher said. May's head snapped up.

_Oh no!_ May thought to herself, _I never got to study last night I had to help Dad clean his stupid gym! _Her heart sunk has the test paper was handed to her and she began looking over the questions. Some of the questions she was able to figure out with logic, but there were a lot of terms and abbreviations used that she didn't recognize. She guessed on the ones she didn't know and turned in the test.

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><p>"And then I taped the stall shut... He couldn't get out!" Dawn said. She took a bite out of the hamburger that was on her tray. She chuckled to herself as she removed her dark hair from her face, looking at May.<p>

"Are you okay?" she asked, "You're more depressed than usual..." May sighed and laid her face on the table.

"I didn't study for an extremely important test..." she said sadly, "Now... Now..." she couldn't seem get them words out.

"Hey it happens every once in a while, right?" Dawn said, taking another bite from her sandwich.

"Not to me!" May said, getting frustrated, "I seriously hate my mom and dad right now, they did this to me! This is their fault!"

"Hey, parents disappoint you..." Dawn said, recalling past events.

"It's like they don't even care about me!" May said.

...

"They just don't want me to succeed! They don't care about me... Or my future... Or..." May glanced down at Dawn and saw the young girl was quite upset.

"Y-you think you have it bad? You think you're miserable!" Dawn exclaimed angrily... "You wouldn't last ten seconds in my house!" Dawn smashed the rest of her hamburger on the tray before flipping the tray over.

"Why don't you go whine to someone else for a change!" Dawn exclaimed before stomping off.

"D-Dawn!" May exclaimed, reaching out, "_wait_..."

_Well that happened fast..._

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><p>May was handed her test paper the next day in chemistry, and to her horror, she had gotten-<p>

"A '_C_'?" she exclaimed depressingly. Great her entire grade for Chemistry would drop down to a B. May slumped her shoulder in despair and laid her head on the desk.

Surprisingly at the end of class, her teacher called her to her desk.

"Ms. Maple..."

_Gulp_, May thought. She walked over to her teachers desk and gazed and her feet, refusing to meet the eyes of her teacher.

"Yes, Mr. James..." she said quietly, too guilt ridden to even speak up.

"I noticed today as I graded your test, you didn't normally do as well as you normally do..." he said, May just nodded so he continued, "Now, I hated to give you a C, especially for this test, would you care to explain what happened?"

May finally looked up at the teacher with watery eyes and managed to say, "My dad wanted me to help him clean his gym, and... I completely forgot to study for the test." Mr. James nodded.

"Well, I wanted to give you a second chance at the test, so that you can maintain your _A _grade," Her teacher said with a smile, "But you need to earn it..."

May's face brightened, "Oh yes! I-I'll do anything!" May said. Mr. James nodded and smiled, sitting up a little straighter.

"Well, you see, I need you to tutor a student who hasn't been doing very well in the class..." Mr. James motioned for a boy to come up to his desk; the young man approached the desk, his cap covering his eyes.

"May Maple, I'd like you to meet Ash Ketchum..." May glanced at the boy, he looked familiar. The boy uncovered his eyes and looked at her.

"Hey!" he said, "You're the one who ran into me the other day!" Ash said angrily,

"Now Ash, show Ms. Maple a little respect please." Mr. James said. Ash's eyes grew wide.

"M-m-Maple?" he stuttered. The teacher nodded. The boy's shoulders slumped, he had heard about May's reputation.

"I'm such a goner..." he said depressingly.

"Anyways, I'm giving you two a week, next Tuesday, Ketchum will take the test again, if he passes, I will allow you to take the test again, understood?" the teacher asked May, both children nodded rather reluctantly.

Ash then pulled his hat over his again and stomped out of the room, May quickly follow after him.

"So... When should we begin?" May asked him as we they walked down the hall.

"Just stay away from me!" Ash exclaimed before running off, leaving May in his dust.

...

"I'm not giving up too easily," May said; she knew that Ash could care less about her grade, and probably his grade, but she didn't care, she had to do that test again.

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><p><strong>Day 1: Wednesday<strong>

May walked through the halls, looking for Ash, she tried asking around, but if course, she never actually got an answer, just some occasional spit in her face. May was used to this treatment though, and shrugged it off.

Eventually she saw Ash standing with a few of his friends, one she recognized as Gary Oak, Dawn's arch nemesis, and a tall blonde haired boy who's name had escaped her, the only thing she knew about him was that he was an extreme germaphobic.

"Gosh Gary! I told you not to touch me, if you do it again I'm gonna have to fine you," the blonde haired boy exclaimed as her pulled out a wipe and rubbed the spot were Gary had touched him.

"Well sorry!" Gary said sarcastically, "I'm sorry if my hand accidentally bumped your arm, Barry!"

"Guys chill out okay!" Ash said.

"Hey, by the way, what did Mr. James want to talk to you about after chemistry?" Barry asked.

"Nothing, just had to give me something," Ash lied, May twitched, this wasn't going to be easy...

She approached the boys, who all grew silent, watching her carefully, "Hello Ash," she said, turning to the raven haired boy, "When would like to begin you tutoring _**for chemistry**_?" she asked, emphasizing the last two words, Ash put on a convincing face that said, "What're you talking about?"

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Dweeb Girl? Where's that little devil that protects you all the time?" Gary asked. May decided to just ignore him, continuing to look at Ash, waiting for him to reply to her question. Suddenly, Gary shoved her knocking her to the ground.

"Answer me when I talk to you!" Gary exclaimed, when May still didn't say anything, he let out a frustrated growl and lifted his foot, preparing to kick her. "You better answer, or you'll have it coming to you!" he threatened, but May still didn't say anything, she froze, she didn't know what to do. With another growl, Gary kicked, she cried out in pain, clutching to spot he kicked. Unsatisfied, Gary kicked May again… and again… and several times more.

_"__**STOP**__!"_

Everyone turned to the voice and saw Dawn stomp up to Gary, shoving him to the ground and kicking him several times with her hard pink boots. "Gary. Oak. **NEVER**. touch. My friend. **AGAIN**!" Dawn exclaimed.

Gary slowly got to his feet before backing off; Dawn gave everyone a threatening look making everyone who was watching step back and walk away. Dawn rushed to May's side and kneeled down beside the beaten girl, who was trying as hard as she could not to cry.

"Are you okay?" Dawn asked, May shook her head, she hurt everywhere. "Let's get you to the Nurse..." Dawn said, she helped poor May up and walked her to the clinic. As they waited to be checked up by the Nurse, Dawn began to question May.

"So... What happened, why were you even talking to those jerks?" Dawn asked.

May gazed at the dirty white tile floor, recounting the events that had occurred. "Uh, you see, my Chemistry teacher said I could redo the test I got a C on if I tutored Ash Ketchum, the raven haired boy." May said, Dawn nodded. "And... He didn't exactly want to be tutored, so he's been avoiding me, so I confronted him today, and Gary started kicking me because I didn't answer him when he asked me a question..." Dawn let out a low growl as May mentioned Gary's name.

"So what are you going to do?" Dawn asked, May sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, he refuses to listen to me, and there's nothing I can do..." May replied.

A sly smirk grew on Dawn's face. "You can't... But I can..." Dawn said mischievously. May turned to her friend with a confused, bit curious look.

"I'm listening..." May said.

* * *

><p>"I don't know Dawn... I feel like I'm stalking him..." May said.<p>

"Don't worry; I do this all the time..."

"You stalk people?"

"No, but I follow them..."

"That can be considered stalking..."

"Define 'stalking'"

"The act of following prey..."

"See we're not stalking!"

"You know what I'm talking about..."

Dawn sighed, "Just follow my lead..."

Dawn had developed a plan of following Ash Ketchum home, although May wasn't too fond of the idea, she would do almost anything to do that test again. Now they walked down the road, following the boy as he walked home. Anytime he would turn around, Dawn and May would duck out of sight. Surprisingly enough, Ash lived in the same neighborhood as May.

"Tell me Dawn," May asked as they crouched behind a bush in front of the Ketchums' house. "How often do you follow people home?"

Dawn looked over at her and smiled deviously, "I know where about half the kids at school live, including you!" May was surprised, Dawn must have followed her home one night and May never noticed.

"You're creepy..." May said.

"I'm emo..."

"True."

"Okay, you ready?" Dawn asked, pulling out a knife, May's eyes widened.

"Dawn! Put that away, we're not hurting him in any way!" May said. Dawn just glanced at the knife, smirking again.

"I know, but if I look more threatening, he'll fall in easier," Dawn said.

"What if his parents see it?" May asked.

"Ash only has a mother who works as a nurse at the Hospital from 2pm to 10pm," Dawn said.

…

"You're good..." May said finally.

"The best..." Dawn agreed, smiling.

The two girls approached the house, ringing the doorbell. After waiting a minute, they heard footsteps and the doorknob jiggled, the door opened to reveal Ash Ketchum. His eyes widened and shoulders drooped ad he saw the two girls at his doorstep.

"What do you guys want?" Ash asked.

"I'm here to tutor you, don't you remember?" May said, trying her hardest to smile. Ash winced as he recalled the event.

"Yeah, whatever, I don't want to be tutored," Ash said.

"Yes, but as you know, I need to redo the test, and I can't redo it unless I help you..." May insisted.

"I could care less..." Ash said.

"Yeah, tell that to Dawn..." May said, as Dawn twiddled around with her knife. Ash's eyes widened before he slammed the door shut.

"Ketchum!" Dawn shouted, "You can't hide in there forever. I'll get you later at school."

"I-I'll call the cops!" Ash shouted from behind the door. May began to get worried, but Dawn was unfazed.

"That'll be a story to tell, the great Ash Ketchum, calling the cops like a sissy because of two girls at his doorsteps," Dawn shouted. There was a moment of silence; May was beginning to think Ash had just left them there. But the door knob eventually jiggled again and Ash peeked out from behind the cracked door, a large piece of wood in front of him, shielding him incase Dawn decided to strike. He looked back and forth at May and Dawn before sighing.

"Alright, fine." Ash sighed, "But you have to leave the knife out here..." Dawn set the knife down on the ground, raising her hands over her head showing she had no other weapons, May thought it would be best to do the same. Ash looked around outside before quickly letting in the two outcasts.

"Is there anything to eat around here?" Dawn asked.

Ash glared at her, "You came to tutor me, not eat my food." but Dawn was already digging through the kitchen cabinet.

"All you have are goldfish and oyster crackers!" Dawn said angrily, Ash sweat-dropped and gesture the two girls to follow him. They sat down in the living room on the couch; May noticed the TV was running playing some sort of Pokémon show.

"Have a seat... I guess…" Ash said, rather uneasily.

May looked at him on disbelief, "Out here? What's wrong with your bedroom?" Ash tilted his head.

"Uh, I guess it's friendlier and less isolated, I like to be here to greet my mom when she comes home from work," Ash explained.

_"PikaPi!"_

A little yellow rodent ran into the room and jumped into Ash arms.

"Oh, this is Pikachu," Ash said cheerfully, scratching the rodent under the chin.

Stars appeared in Dawn's eyes. "Awwwww, it's so cute, can I hold it?" she asked, rather than giving it to her, Ash took a step back. "I promise I won't hurt it in any way..." she assured him. His Pikachu looked up at his trainer curiously. Ash carefully handed Pikachu over to Dawn, who scratched him behind his ears, earning a coo.

"Want to hold him May?" Dawn asked, May just shook her head.

"No, I came to tutor..." May said. Dawn shrugged and sat down, still holding Pikachu.

"Um... So how do we begin?" Ash asked. May and Dawn exchanged glances, May hadn't really thought about where to start.

"Um, I guess chapter 28, that's what the test is on..." May said.

Teaching Ash Ketchum chemistry was much harder than May originally thought, Ash barely paid any attention at all in chemistry, so May would have to backtrack and explain other things to him so that concepts in chapter 28 made sense.

"Ugh," May growled in frustration, "Have you not read the book?"

"No," Ash said, flipping several pages, stopping at the ones that had doodles on it, "I just draw in it..."

Dawn mostly stayed quiet during the tutoring session, which consisted of Ash groaning in confusion and frustration, and May trying her best to explain things to him. Dawn sat on the couch scratching Pikachu's head, which made him quite happy. At one point he hopped off Dawn's lap and poked at May, trying to get her attention, but the brunette just pushed him away, focusing on the task at hand. Pikachu would then return to Dawn's lap for another scratching session.

"UGH!" Ash finally exclaimed.

"Is your brain about to explode?" Asked Dawn.

"Yes!" Ash exclaimed, "How can anyone possible understand this pieridoodic tablet?"

"Periodic Table..." May corrected him.

"How far did you guys get?" Dawn asked, standing up and stretching. Ash looked down at the book before him.

"Uhh..."

"We didn't even finish page one!" May groaned depressingly.

…

"You're not going to kill me are you?" Ash said, sounding a little worried.

"No... No..." May said, "But we'll tutor some more tomorrow, during school."

Ash's eyes grew wide, "Whoa no! No no no no no no **no**, I can't be caught hanging out with you guys," Ash said, "No offense, but think about what it would do to my reputation..."

"You're not that popular..." Dawn said.

"Yeah, but at least I'm not at _your _level..." Ash said. May let out a depressed sigh.

"We should get going..." Dawn said, picking up a few books as May did the same.

"Yeah, make sure to get your knife off my doorstep..." Ash said. Dawn nodded, and with one last hug for Pikachu, the two girls left the Ketchum residence.

"Well?" Dawn said, as they walked down the road in the dark.

"Ugh, Ash is a complete idiot!" May said, "Science wise, he knows nothing about anything, he couldn't tell an ounce from a gallon!"

"He's going to be quite a challenge..." Dawn said, May nodded in agreement.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," May said, but she hadn't given up, she was determined to teach the young boy and get him to pass that test, and then she would be able to do her own test.

"Oh man!" May exclaimed, "I never told my parents what I was out doing! They're going to kill me!"

"Just tell them you got mugged or something, it works for me..." Dawn said, but May was already racing down the sidewalk towards her house. She crept up to the door and opened it as quietly as possible. All the lights were out.

_Whew_, May thought, _they must be in bed_... She tiptoed through the living room and to the stairs, and just as she reached the third step the light turned on.

_Eep!_

May slowly turned around and saw her mother and father standing there, angry expressions on their face.

"May Maple! Where have you been?" Her father asked seriously.

"We were so worried about you!" May's mother said, "What happened did you get mugged?"

May had half a mind to say yes, but she shook the thought away and said, "N-no, I... I just went to a friend's house, that's all, and I forgot to tell you..." She glanced back and forth between her father and mother, waiting for their reaction.

"May..." her mother said, "You've been acting strange lately, first you come home all depressed and refuse to even come down for dinner, and now you're going off to places without telling us. You're not doing strange things with that emo friend of yours, are you?"

May's jaw dropped and eyes widened as her mother grabbed her thin arm and checked her wrists. May shook her head and pulled away from her mother's grasp.

"What? No! Of course I wouldn't do anything like that!" May exclaimed.

"Then where were you?" Her father asked.

"At this boy's house," May said, she knew immediately she had chosen the wrong words. Her father's left eye began to twitch and his mouth curled into a huge frown.

"Dad, it's not what you're thinking..." May said.

"Then what is it?" Her father asked.

May then told them about the chemistry test that she failed because they refused to let her study, and how Mr. James said she could redo the test if she help a boy study, and how she went over there to tutor him, leaving out the part about how Dawn had come with her and threatened Ash.

"But honey," Her mother said, voice softening, "Why didn't you just tell us?"

"Uh... I forgot?" Was May's quiet reply.

"Forgot or didn't forget, it isn't right that you left us here wondering where you've been all day," Her father said, "I don't want you going over there for the rest of the week!"

"What?" May exclaimed, "How else am I supposed to tutor him?" she hadn't told them about Ash's stubbornness.

"Tutor him during school," her father replied, "Now go to bed." with a huff, May stomped up her stairs and into her room, slamming the door shut. With a frustrated sigh, she dropped all her books carelessly on the ground, and flopped onto her bed.

What am I going to do? She wondered.

* * *

><p><strong>This makes me want to face desk... so... hard...<strong>

**Alright, so here's what is going on, for the next several days, I am going to be uploading new chapters to several different advanceshipping fanfictions I have written, and I'm curious to know what you guys think about each one. So read and leave a review, and follow me, because over the next two weeks or so I'll be posting new Advanceshipping content every day.**

**And when I finish writing them all, shoot me over a PM or leave a review telling me which ones you liked best and least. I'm always interested in what you guess like.**

**Have fun and happy reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Getting Along**

* * *

><p><strong>Well, this is a longer chapter, It took me awhile to reach a good stopping point. But that's a good thing right? I like long chapters but some people write stories with like... 20,000 words... That's crazy...<strong>

**Anyways, don't own Pokémon.**

* * *

><p><strong>Day 2: Thursday<strong>

"So why didn't you just tell your parents you got mugged?" Dawn asked after May had told her what happened last night. The two girls sat by themselves in a far off corner, away from their classmates.

"My parents would have never fallen for that!" May said, "Besides, I'm not a very good liar..." a knowing, but sad grin appeared on Dawn's face.

"Well, you'll just have to tutor him in school then..." Dawn said, playing around with her mashed potatoes. May let out another depressing sigh.

"Yeah, but he'll never do it here around his classmates, not even with you around him, his reputation is much more important to him than his grade..." May said, Dawn nodded, pulling her black hair from her face.

"Why don't we just try right now?" Dawn asked, "It probably won't work, but it's worth a shot..."

"I don't want to get him even madder at me than he already is..." May said, Dawn pulled out her report card for the month, and ripped off a corner of it, making May wince, she hated seeing stuff like that being mistreated. Dawn pulled out a pen and began scribbling something down on the paper.

"Okay, while I distract them, you give him the paper..." Dawn said, handing the paper to May. She looked at the paper, finding it read: "Want to study some?" and then there was devious smiley face. May sighed and stood up along with Dawn. As they approached the table that Ash and his friends were at, children glanced at them, wondering what they were doing.

"Well if it isn't Dweeb Girl and her little emo protector friend," Gary said.

"Shut up Gary!" Dawn said, "Unless you want a second dosage of my wrath." Gary just laughed.

"Uh, Gary," Barry said, "You might want to back off... She hurt you pretty badly yesterday."

"Thank you," Dawn said.

"I'm not afraid of no girl..." Gary said.

"Uh, you just used a double negative," May said, "Meaning you are afraid of girls."

"**SHUT UP**!" Gary shouted, making May back off.

"Haha, Gary has been out smarted!" Dawn said with a chuckle.

"Why I ought to slug you into next week!" Gary said, rolling up his sleeves, Dawn remained unfazed.

"G-Gary... D-don't do it..." Barry said. Gary ignored him and leapt towards Dawn, smacking her across the face, and knocking her to the floor.

"You son of a-" Dawn began as she got to her feet, before Gary kicked her back down.

"Gary, stop it!" May shouted.

"Shut up, worthless," Gary exclaimed, pointing at May. He turned his attention back to Dawn and kicked her several times.

"This. Is. For. Yesterday." Gary said. Suddenly something grabbed him and pulled him back. Gary found himself being held back by Ash and Barry.

"Just let it go man! Or I'll fine you!" Barry exclaimed. Gary struggled and jerked himself out of their grasp.

…

Gary breathed heavily, glancing around. "Fine..." he said, stomping off.

_The entire cafeteria was silent..._

"Ugh, I can't believe I touched him and his germs," Berry said, pulling out a bottle of hand sanitizer and cleaned his hands with it. May quickly rush over Dawn, who had curled up into a ball and was breathing heavily.

"Dawn! Are you okay?" May asked, kneeling beside her friend.

"Y-yeah..." Dawn said before coughing up a little blood. "Mom's boyfriend does worse..." she said, smiling weakly.

"Let's get you to the nurse..." May said, helping Dawn up and walking her to the nurse's office, the woman looked up in surprise.

"Back so soon?" She asked.

"Yes, Gary Oak is such a-" Dawn then spoke several inappropriate words, which was followed by several other sentences that had words in them that were never meant to be spoken by a teenager.

"Where do you hear these things?" May asked, not even recognizing half the words Dawn had said.

"I hear Mom's boyfriend say it when he's mad..." Dawn said.

The nurse checked Dawn and found that she was covered in bruises. "Why don't you stay here and take a rest?" the nurse suggested. Dawn nodded and the nurse walked out, leaving May and Dawn sitting quietly in the room.

"So, what did Ash say?" Dawn asked May.

* * *

><p><em>"Well if it isn't Dweeb Girl and her little emo protector friend," Gary said.<em>

_"Shut up Gary!" Dawn said, "Unless you want a second dosage of my wrath." Gary just laughed._

_May nudged Ash's shoulder; he turned and saw her standing by him, holding out the piece of paper._

_"Uh, Gary," Barry said, "You might want to back off... She hurt you pretty badly yesterday._

_"Thank you," Dawn said._

_Ash grabbed the paper and read it._

_"I'm not afraid of no girl..." Gary said._

_"Uh, you just used a double negative," May commented, turning she attention for a second, "Meaning you are afraid of girls."_

_"SHUT UP!" Gary shouted, making May turned back to Ash_

_Ash motioned for her to lean closer, May leaned forward and put her ear by Ash's mouth. "What's wrong with coming to my house?" he asked quietly._

_"Uh... You see... I got grounded for doing that..." May said, blushing with embarrassment._

_"Haha, Gary has been out smarted!" Dawn said with a chuckle._

_"Why I ought to slug you into next week!" Gary said, rolling up his sleeves, Dawn remained unfazed._

_"Can I just come over to your house?" Ash asked. May hadn't thought about that before._

_"G-Gary... D-don't do it..." Barry said. Gary ignored him and leapt towards Dawn, smacking her across the face, and knocking her to the floor._

_May turned to the excitement and quickly said, "Sure, come after school..."_

_"You son of a-" Dawn began as she got to her feet, before Gary kicked her back down._

_"Gary, stop it!" May shouted turning her full attention to what was going on._

_"Shut up, worthless," Gary exclaimed, pointing at May. He turned his attention back to Dawn and kicked her several times_

_"This. Is. For. Yesterday." Gary said. Suddenly Ash stood up and motioned for Barry to do the same. They both grabbed Gary and held him back._

_"Just let it go man! Or I'll have to fine you!" Barry exclaimed. Gary struggled and jerked himself out of their grasp._

_Gary breathed heavily, glancing around. "Fine..." he said, stomping off._

_The entire cafeteria was silent..._

_"Ugh, I can't believe I touched him and his germs," Berry said, pulling out a bottle of hand sanitizer and cleaning his hands with it._

* * *

><p><strong><em><em>**  
>"Whoa..." Dawn said, "So... They stopped Gary?" May nodded, Dawn gazed at the faded paint on the wall before speaking up again.<p>

"So will your parents let you tutor Ash at home?" Dawn asked, May let out a long sigh.

"Mom won't have a problem with it, it's Dad that I'm worried about." May said.

* * *

><p>"Just try to act normal..." May insisted, "My parents don't exactly trust you..."<p>

"Well, that's good to know..." Dawn said. May opened the front door of her house.

"Hey May, want to play a board game?" She heard Max say as she entered the house with Dawn. Max looked over and saw that someone was with his sister.

"Who's that?" Max asked, upon hearing the question, May's mother and father both appeared as well.

"Uh, this is my friend Dawn," May said, gesturing to the emo girl, "The kid I am tutoring will be coming over soon as well..."

May's parents exchanged glances, Norman was about to say something, but was pulled into the kitchen by his wife. "I don't like this..." he told her quietly.

"Honey, think about it. This is what we wanted all along... May to begin interacting with other people..." She said.

Norman list of a sigh, "Yes, but..." he was cut short when she laid a finger on his lips.

"No buts..." she said, he sighed again and nodded.

"Why do you dress like that?" Max asked Dawn.

"Uh, well, I guess to make a statement..." Was Dawn's reply.

"Why are your jeans all torn?"

"They're really old..."

"What are those marks on your wrists from?"

"Okay! Max! Stop asking questions, geez..." May said, not wanting Max to get into too many details about Dawn's dreary life.

***ding* *dong***

"I'll get it..." May called out. She opened the front door and Ash rushed in, quickly closing the door behind him, making sure nobody outside saw him.

"Say, how did you find my house, I don't recall telling you the address..." May said.

"I could ask you the same thing..." Ash said. He had a point; she had never told him how she found her address.

"Oh, is this your friend?" May's mother asked, stepping into the hall while wiping a plate with a cloth.

"Friend?" Ash asked, "Nah, I'm only here because I have to be tutored..."

"Well, would you like to stay for dinner?" May's mother asked, making May's eyes widen and jaw dropped.

"Uh, let's see, my mom was going to make some gross vegetable dish... So sure!" Ash replied. May's jaw dropped even more when she heard him accept.

"A-alright, let's go u-up to my room..." May said. Ash nodded and followed her into the living room. Were they found Dawn and Max.

"Hey! Who's that?" Max asked.

"My name is Ash Ketchum," Ash said, sticking out his hand.

"Ash Ketchup?" Max asked, "What kind of name is that?"

"Ketch**UM**." Ash said, emphasizing the 'um', Max realized his mistake and quickly apologize.

"Hey, you want to play a board game?" Max asked. Ash shook his head.

"Sorry, but I have to tutor with your sister..." Ash said, Max's head drooped.

"Oh, good luck..." Max said. With that, May, Dawn, and Ash headed upstairs. May closed the door behind her, and Ash unzipped his backpack, and a little yellow head popped out.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought Pikachu..." Ash said as the electric mouse jumped out of his backpack and ran around the room to stretch his legs.

"Just don't let mom see it, she has this strange fear..." May said. Ash and Dawn then examined May's room, noting the cleanness and how it was so tidy.

"Wow, your room is really clean..." Dawn said.

"Yeah, this makes my room seem like it's upside-down." Ash said. May just nodded and put her books down and set up her desk, but Ash had other plans.

"Why don't we do this on the floor?" he said, plopping himself on the carpet. Dawn took a seat on May's perfectly made bed. May glanced at Dawn, who just shrugged as Ash waited for an answer, she let out a sigh.

"Okay..." She said, moving her books from her desk and placing them on the floor, sitting down next to Ash as she laid out the books. Pikachu continued to run around, either hopping into Ash or Dawn's lap, occasionally attempting to get May's attention before being pushed away.

May and Ash sat on the floor leaning over chemistry books, hoping to make more progress than they did the previous day. Several hours passed by, and Ash slowly began to understand things better.

"So that's all the number is? It's number of electrons..." Ash said.

"Yeah, it's basically-"

"Dinner!" May heard her mother call; May closed the book, taking note of what page they were on. Dawn and Ash raced down stairs towards the dining room, while May followed closely behind. Ash had told Pikachu to stay in May's room, and that he would bring him some food after dinner. May noticed that the table had been set up for two extra people, Ash and Dawn of course. They sat themselves down at the table, and Dawn looked down at the food.

"Whoa, this is fancy..." Dawn said, Ash looked at her plate and then at his.

"Um... That's the average homemade dish..." Ash said. Dawn just gazed at her meal, as if she wasn't worthy of eating it.

"What do you normally eat, Dawn?" May's mother asked.

"Um... School cafeteria food, fast-food, and cheap frozen meals," Dawn said. "Mom can't really cook, so I'm kinda on my own..."

"Well, you can come over here and I can teach you how to cook..." May mother said. Dawn's face brightened a little bit.

"That would be cool," She said.

"So Ash," May's father asked suddenly changing the subject "How's my daughter doing tutoring you?"

_Uh oh_... May thought to herself.

"Heh, I can now honestly say I understand the peredoofic table," Ash said, both of May's parents looked at him as if they didn't know what he was talking about.

"Periodic Table," May corrected, her parents realized his mistake and let out a long "oooh" together.

"I mean... Like, I suck at science in general..." Ash said. "But May took me back and showed me things so that what I'm supposed to be learning now makes sense."

Both May and Dawn exchanged glances, Ash was complementing May?

"I didn't even know that chemistry was the identification of substances and different things about them until May told me. Goes to show how much attention I have during that class."

May couldn't believe it, she couldn't remember the last time anyone had praised anything she had done. It felt... _Good_.

"Well, it's good to hear May's doing a fine job." May's father said approvingly. "Is it only chemistry you struggle in?"

Ash wiped his face with a napkin; May had noticed how Ash would occasionally take a piece of food off his plate and hide it under the table, most likely for Pikachu. "Yeah, I do fine in all my other classes, science just bores me to death." Norman nodded understandingly.

"What about you Dawn? Do you not like science either?" Norman asked. Dawn had too much food shoved into her mouth to speak though, so it took her a while to finally respond.

"I don't like it, but I'm not horrible at it, typically if I have a question I just ask May about it." Dawn said. Her reply surprised May's parents quite a bit.

Ash devoured his food like there was no tomorrow, and Dawn thought the food was so good she virtually inhaled her it, nobody in the Maple family had seen anyone eat as fast as the two guest did that night. When the two finished they both let out an obnoxious belch and patted their stomachs.

"That was pretty good Mrs. Maple..." Ash said.

"Oh my Arceus it was the most amazing thing I've ever tasted!" Dawn said.

May's mother smiled before taking both their dishes and taking them to the kitchen "I'm glad you enjoyed it," she said. May also finished her food and the three teens went back up the steps to May's room, where Pikachu was anxiously waiting for them.

"I brought some grub," Ash said he pulled out some of the food he hadn't eaten and gave it to Pikachu, who happily ate it. The two teens sat back down now joined by Dawn has May reopened the book they had been studying.

Of course, there was only so much studying Ash could take. After a few more hours he began to get antsy.

"Ugh, can we stop?" Ash asked, lying down on the floor, his movement copied by Pikachu, "I feel like my brain is going to explode..."

"But we have less than a week to study this chapter," May said, flipping through the pages.

"Well we can do it another day..." Ash said, suddenly, an idea popped into his head, "Hey! Let's play a board game with Max!" He leapt to his feet, and before May could blink, he was out the door along with Pikachu.

"Ash, wait!" May shouted, suddenly, she heard a high pitched scream. She and Dawn both dashed out of the room and found Ash standing in the living room with Pikachu hiding behind his leg, while May's mother hid behind the couch.

"Cool! A Pikachu!" Max exclaimed as he walked into the living room to inspect the Pokémon.

"Careful, Max! It could electrocute you!" May's mother said.

"Mom, cool your jets, it's Ash's Pikachu..." May said as she walked down the stairs.

"Yeah, Pikachu won't hurt you as long as you don't hurt him," Ash said, May's mother got out from behind the couch, watching the Pokémon cautiously.

"Just, don't let it come near me..." she said, Ash nodded and bent down to Pikachu.

"You heard her Pikachu, don't get to close..." Ash said. Pikachu stood up straight and saluted, with that, May's mother hurried out of the room.

Ash turned to Max, who was petting Pikachu. "So Max, want to play a board game?" Max looked up at Ash in disbelief.

"Really? You would?" Max asked excitedly.

"Yeah, why don't we play Risk or something," Ash said, without a second to lose, Max dashed out of the room and up the stairs.

"Ash, we still have a lot of studying to do..." May insisted.

"Well I came straight here after school, I haven't had any free time to rest my poor brain..." Ash said, patting his head. Max came back with Risk and set it down on the long coffee table. Ash sat on the opposite side of Max helping him set up the board as Pikachu played with some of the little pieces.

"Say, you guys should play with us..." Ash said, gesturing to May and Dawn, who had been watching them set up.

"Yeah!" Max exclaimed, "The game is more fun with more people."

"Well, I've never played before, but I can learn..." Dawn said, sitting down on the same side of the table as Max.

"Come on, play with us, May," Ash said.

"Nah... I mean... I can't really..." May tried to say but they kept insisting.

"Come on May, play!" Max said.

"Yeah, I don't want to lose by myself," Dawn said.

"What's the matter with having a little fun?" Ash asked, May finally caved in.

"Okay, _okay_, I'll play..." May said, sitting down next to Ash, opposite of Max.

"I hope you guys are ready to get dominated!" Max said, "I practice playing this game by myself all the time!"

"That doesn't even make sense..." Dawn said, "How could you tell if you've actually improved..."

"Well... Um..." Max muttered.

"I pick Madagascar!" Ash exclaimed, putting some men down.

"Hey! No fair!" Max said, "I want Madagascar! It's part of my strategy!"

"What's going on?" Dawn asked, completely confused.

In spite of all the commotion, May couldn't but let out a laugh, something she hadn't done for a long time. After explaining the rules to Dawn and Ash eventually surrendering Madagascar to Max. They were able to begin.

After some playing, Dawn was completely wiped out.

"What?" Dawn exclaimed, "how did you guys take me down so easily?"

"Well for starters, you set your home base right in the middle of Africa, where I put most my men..." Max said.

"Yeah, you were a little too scattered..." May told Dawn, Who let out a huff and pouted.

A little more into the game... Ash began getting uneasy.

"Hey May," he whispered, while Max was thinking about his turn.

"Hm?" May replied.

"Max is getting too powerful, he has Dawn's base, Africa, and Australia..." Ash said, "Let's gang up on him and conquer him..." May nodded with a smirk.

Before he knew it, Max was out of the game as well.

"What the heck? You two ganged up on me!" Max exclaimed, Ash let out a playful scoff.

"What could you possibly be talking about?" Ash asked, secretly giving May a high five under the coffee table. The rest of the game consisted of Ash and May continually attacked each other until Ash got lucky with the dice and May realized she couldn't win.

"Alright, I surrender..." May said. Ash threw hands in the air in victory.

"Pikachu!" He Pokémon exclaimed.

"Congratulations, Ash..." Max said, "Thanks for playing a board game with me."

"Yeah, it was fun; we should do it again sometime." Ash said.

"Except, let's not play this game..." Dawn said.

Ash laughed and turned to May, "See? Wasn't it fun?" he asked her. She had to admit, even though she had lost, she had really enjoyed herself.

"Mhm..." May responded, smiling and nodding her head, Ash looked at his watch and eyes widened upon seeing the time.

"Whoa! It's getting late!" Ash exclaimed leaping to his feet, "I really got to go!"

He grabbed his backpack and swiped up Pikachu. "Thanks for dinner Mrs. Maple!" Ash exclaimed before dashing out of the house. Dawn sighed and stood up as well.

"I should probably get going too, but it was fun, I should come over to your house more often..." Dawn said.

"Yeah..." May said, "I had... fun," With that, Dawn got up and left. May yawned and stretched her arms, beginning to feel a little drowsy.

"I think I'll be going to bed now..." She said with a yawn.

"Okay," Max said, "Thanks for playing a board game with me... Finally..."

May didn't notice that her father had been watching her the entire night. As she went up into her room and crawled into bed, Norman came into her room, sitting down beside her.

"Hey Dad," May said, wondering what her father had come up to talk about, "What's up?"

Her father let out a weary sigh and ran his fingers through his hair, "May..." he began, "I just wanted to tell you... That I'm proud of you..."

At first May didn't know what he was talking about, but he continued, "Your mother and I had decided that it was time for you to come out from your hiding place in your room and stretch your legs, that's why I had you help me to clean the gym a few days before. But when I saw you in the living room, playing with your little brother and two friends, it made me happy. It felt good to see a genuine smile on your face, to hear you... Laugh..." her father took a deep breath before continuing, "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm happy you came out of your shell by yourself, and weren't forced by your mother and I... And I wanted to tell you that you're not grounded anymore."

May put on a small grin, earning a smile from her father, he leaned down and kissed her goodnight, before leaving and closing the bedroom door behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>Day Three: Friday<strong>

May had finally thought she had made a second friend, someone she could hang out with during school, and maybe talk about this and that, other than just Dawn.

_She was actually quite wrong._

Ash avoided both her and Dawn the entire day at school, still not wanting to ruin his reputation.

"I can't believe this!" Dawn exclaimed as she and May sat in their normal spot in the cafeteria, "He looked right at me before taking off!" Dawn said.

"Well, don't get mad now..." May said, "You can blow your steam when I tutor him..." Dawn huffed and crossed her arms.

"I'll give him a piece of my mind..." Dawn mumbled. May looked over at the table Ash and his friends sat, he, Barry, and Gary all seemed to be in a debate about something.

"So are we going to your house again tonight?" Dawn asked, May shrugged.

"I don't know yet, I'm not grounded anymore, so we can do it were ever we want..." May said.

"Yeah? But how are we going to tell him that? I don't feel like getting beaten up by Gary again..." Dawn said.

"I... Don't know..." May said. They sat in silence, thinking about how they could talk to Ash.

"Let's go to his house..." Dawn said, "I want to see how well his mother cooks..." May sweat-dropped.

"Dawn," May began, "We are not doing this to take advantage of people." Dawn sighed before letting out a small chuckle.

* * *

><p>"Okay, here they all come," Dawn said, quickly disappearing behind the corner she and May where hiding.<p>

"Are you sure this will work?" May asked, Dawn nodded confidently.

"Sure, I do it all the time, now get ready..." Dawn said.

Ash, Gary, and Barry all were walking down the hallway, talking about this and that, as they approached the corner the girls were hidden behind, Dawn tripped Barry and he fell to the floor.

"AAAH! **Gross**! I can't believe I just touched the disgusting floor! I'm gonna fine whoever did that!" Barry exclaimed trying to get up without using his hands. While they were distracted, May grabbed Ash by the hand and pulled him behind the corner, she covered his mouth and dragged him into an empty classroom.

"Was that necessary?" He asked as May removed her hand from his mouth.

"Well, we have to talk to you somehow..." May said. Dawn was standing in front of the classroom door, guarding the door to make sure no one came in.

"Well... What's your number..." Ash asked, pulling out his cell phone, May blushed with embarrassment.

"I-I don't have a cell phone..." May said, Ash dropped his phone and gave May the oddest look.

"Why on earth would you not have a cell phone?" Ash asked, picking up his phone. May sighed, now wasn't the time for this.

"Why would I use one? Think about it!" May said, Ash thought for a moment before nodding his head.

"I guess you're right..." Ash said, May sweat-dropped at the unintended insult.

"Anyways..." May began, "Let's meet up at your house today for tutoring."

"I thought you were grounded..." Ash said, May shook her head and smiled.

"Not anymore..." she said.

_"Hello Ms. Jessie... What can I do for you?" _Ash and May turned their attention to the door and saw Dawn standing in front of the door, blocking a teacher from entering.

"Well for starters, I'd like you to move so I can get into my classroom." Ms. Jessie said.

"Um... This isn't your class room..." Dawn said.

"Yes it is! This is definitely the right one, see the number!"

"But it's the school's classroom, not yours..."

Ms. Jessie was one of the most dreaded teachers in the whole school, if anyone was put in her class, there was a 101% chance it would be a horrible school year. She had a temper like a Fearow and was devious like a Gengar. She was able to make one's life miserable.

"Oh no!" Ash exclaimed, "If Ms. Jessie sees us in here, we're screwed!" May also began to panic, she never got in trouble at school before.

"What do we do?" May asked.

"Don't play your stupid games with me runt! Out of my way!" Ms Jessie pushed Dawn aside, stepping into the room, scanning it thoroughly before sitting down at her desk. She missed two teenagers who had pushed a bookshelf away from the wall and were standing behind it.

May glanced at Ash who signaled her to be completely silent. Unfortunately, a lot of dust had built up behind that bookshelf. May felt a tingle in her nose. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose. Ash could tell that she was about to sneeze. He quickly put his right index finger beneath May's nose, momentarily stopping the sneeze.

Did you notice the word, "_momentarily_"?

"AAAH**CHUUUU**!" May sneezed loudly. Ms. Jessie's head snapped up and looked directly at the bookshelf Ash and May where behind. The two teens held their breath as they heard the high heel shoes tapping against the floor as she approached the bookshelf. Just as May thought they would be caught, Ash shoved her as hard as he could to the floor, out of Ms. Jessie's sight she saw Ash standing between the shelves and against the wall.

May laid on the floor, watching they scenic unfold, now hiding on the side of the bookshelf opposite to Ms. Jessie, thanks to Ash pushing her.

"What are you doing here twerp?" The angry teacher said, completely oblivious of May's presence.

"I came looking for some erasers..." Ash said, Jessie huffed, unconvinced.

"And I grade papers as a hobby! Get out of here! We're heading straight to the principal's office!" Ms. Jessie grabbed Ash by his sleeve and dragged him out of the room, leaving May by herself on the floor.

May quickly got up and tiptoed to the door, peeking through to make sure nobody was there. She stepped out of the room as Dawn appeared from behind the corner.

"What happened?" She asked, "I just saw an angry Ms. Jessie drag Ash down the hall.

May let out a deep breath and leaned against the wall, sliding down to the ground. "He just saved my sorry butt..."

May told Dawn everything that had happened in the classroom, ending with "We dragged him in there, I was the one who sneezed, he was the one who got in trouble..." she said sadly, burying her face in her hands.

"So he pushed you out of the way so Ms. Jessie wouldn't see you, and he got in trouble..." Dawn concluded. May nodded, still hiding her face in her hands. Dawn sadly patted her shoulder and sat there for a few minutes.

"Let's go and see what happened..." Dawn said, standing up and help May to her feet. The two girls stood up and walked down the hall to the principal's office, they sat down on the benches by the door. All they could hear from the other side of the door was Ms. Jessie non-stop blabbing.

"Remind me to put a thumbtack on her office chair..." Dawn said, May nodded and smirked.

After listening to Ms. Jessie's ear piercing vice for a while, she finally shut her mouth and the principle said a few things before Ash and Ms. Jesse left the office.

"You got off easy this time twerp!" Jessie said, "I'll get you next time! Looking for erasers… My eyeballs!" Ash watched her leave with a smirk, before looking down at May and Dawn, who were still sitting on the benches.

"You guys have been waiting here?" Ash asked, pointing at the ground. May stood up and approached Ash.

"I know this isn't good for your reputation, but..." May embraced Ash tightly, "Thank you..." she let go of Ash and smiled at him sadly.

"I'm really sorry about getting you in all this trouble..." May apologized, Ash just shrugged.

"Eh, I guess that's what I get for avoiding you guys..." Ash said, Dawn let out a laugh.

"So wait, did you get in trouble or anything?" Dawn asked him, also standing up.

"An hour of detention... Not that big of a deal..." Ash said. May sighed and looked down at the floor guiltily.

"We'll be waiting for you," May said as she watched Ash disappear down the hallway.

* * *

><p>"Gosh, detention is long!" May complained. She and Dawn were waiting outside the detention room for Ash.<p>

"Eh, you get used to it..." Dawn, who had been put in detention before, said.

"What do you do in there?" May asked, now getting curious.

"Nothing... You sit at a desk and wait for detention to be over, the end." Dawn said.

"That doesn't sound too bad..." May said.

"Unless you make plans with your friends... Or have lots of homework…" Dawn said, she had a point there. May and Dawn had been sitting there for a little less than an hour, in which May managed to complete both hers and Dawn's homework, before Ash came out of the detention room.

"Well, how did it go?" May asked, standing up.

Ash stretched and rubbed his eyes, "Eh, I got an extra hour of sleep." Before letting out a laugh. With that, May, Dawn, and Ash all left the school and went down the road towards Ash's house.

"So..." May began, clutching her books a little tighter, "I still don't understand why you shoved me out from behind that bookshelf so that Ms. Jessie wouldn't see me, I mean, the entire situation was my fault," May looked Ash straight in the eye, "Why would you do that?"

Ash turned his head and looked at her, thoroughly think of an answer.

"I guess that's what friends do..." was his reply.

_Friends..._

May couldn't remember that last time she made a friend other than Dawn, whose friendship really hadn't bloomed until May began tutoring Ash.

"May?"

May shook her head and snapped herself out of her thoughts, "Hm? Yeah?" she asked.

"You spaced out," Dawn said.

May blinked a few times and gazed at the ground, "S-sorry, I was just... Thinking..."

* * *

><p>"So this is the atomic number..."<p>

"Yes..."

"And... Uh..."

"What is atomic number?"

"Um... It's... The atomic number?"

"Well, duh, be more specific."

...

"Well?"

"Is it... Er... The number of... Protons in an atom?"

May's face brightened as she slapped her hands down on the table. "YES!" she said excitedly, she sat back down and pointed to another number, "Okay, now what is the Mass number?"

...

"I have no idea..." Ash said, causing May to sweat-drop. The three teens where sitting at the dining room table, Pikachu in Dawn's lap.

Suddenly, they heard voices outside.

"Dude, just grab the doorknob and open the door."

"Are you kidding? Do you know how many germs are on that thing?"

"It's not that big of a deal!"

"Then you open it!"

"Oh shoot!" Ash exclaimed, "I forgot! I invited Gary and Berry to hang out after school. What do I do?"

"The door is locked right?" Dawn asked.

***Click***

"See it's not that hard to open a front door," They heard Gary say.

"Ew... You don't know what unwashed hands have touched that thing." Barry said.

"I don't wash my hands..." Gary said.

"**AAAACCK**!" Barry exclaimed.

Ash shoved Dawn and May under the table, just as Barry and Gary walked in.

"S'up?" Ash asked. Gary and Barry eyed all the books scattered on the table.

""What's up with all the books?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, did that nerd girl that's been stalking you decide to trash the place like the garbage she is?" Gary asked.

Ash winced, Dawn was just about ready to jump out from under the table and rip Gary apart limb by limb.

"What's the matter Ash-y boy? Typically you laugh at those jokes," Gary said, May gasped.

"I..." Ash began, "I don't know what you're talking about..." Barry glanced at Ash with a confused look.

"But Ash, when Gary was cracking jokes about May and Dawn, you laughed... And that was just this morning," Barry said, May's heart sunk.

"Yeah, I said, May was so retarded that-," Gary began.

"You guys..." Ash interrupted, "I'm really busy studying... Could we hang out later?"

Barry and Gary exchanges glances "Uh, sure I guess, but if you back down again, I'm gonna have to fine you..." Barry said. With that, Ash's two friends left.

May and Dawn crawled out from under the table, Dawn was enraged while May's mouth was open in disbelief and sadness. Ash gulped again.

"You two faced, hypocrite!" Dawn said, grabbing Ash out of his chair by his shirt.

"I should chop you to pieces and feed you to the Poochyena!" Dawn exclaimed in his face, May freed Ash from Dawn's grip.

"Dawn..." May said calmly, "Allow me..." with that she slapped him in the face and kicked him in his unspoken area. She grabbed all her books and stormed out of the house.

Dawn quickly said goodbye to a confused Pikachu, kissing him on his forehead before and storming out of the house, while Ash laid on the ground, groaning in pain.

* * *

><p>May didn't wait for Dawn, she just ran as fast as she could back home, she dashed through the door, ignoring her brother's request to play a board game, and into her room, slammed her door shut. She threw her books on the ground and screamed in frustration, throwing herself on the bed.<p>

_Just when I thought he was honestly a true friend! _May thought to herself, _That stupid jerk! Arceus, he's worse than Gary!_

***knock* *knock* *knock***

_Of course this story wouldn't have a happy ending, they never end happily!_May thought, ignoring the knocking.

***knock* *knock* *knock***

_"May, Honey? Are you okay?"_She heard her mother ask.

"Just leave me alone!" May shouted.

_Worse day ever._

* * *

><p><strong>I think one of my main focuses to practice in this story will be character development, something I should work on.<strong>

**Otherwise... not much to say here.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Newcomer**

* * *

><p><strong>Another day, another chapter.<strong>

**I don't own Pokémon.**

* * *

><p><strong>Day 4: Saturday<strong>

May wasn't typically one to sleep in on weekends, she normally woke up early and would study or something. But not today, today she slept for the first time in a long time, to the point that her parents were worried enough to check and see if she was actually there around eight thirty..

Sure enough, May was there, fast asleep, her face written with grief. Her parent's exchanges glances, but decided it would be best just to let her sleep.

When she did finally wake up, she stumbled down to the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of cereal. _Why am I so upset about this?_ May asked herself_, things will just go back to normal, right?_

But when she had been tutoring Ash, she had felt this spark, a spark of joy. A joy that studying or getting good grades would never give her. She felt it around her friends, Dawn and Ash...

... _But now... It was just Dawn..._She sighed miserably, taking a bite of her cereal. She blinked away a tear, shaking her head and sniffing. She couldn't believe she was reacting this dramatically, this shouldn't be any big deal.

***knock* *knock* *knock***

...

May's mother appeared in the kitchen, "May, one of your friends is here..." She said. Suddenly, May's sadness disappeared as she began to fill with anger, stomping over to front door.

_If it's Ash,_ she thought, _I am going to make him regret even thinking about coming here._She threw open the front door and saw her emo friend before her, making her rage disperse.

"Oh, hey Dawn..." May said. Dawn looked like she had had a sleepless night. _Looks like she was just as devastated about this as I was..._May thought to herself.

Dawn sniffed sadly, "Do... Do you want to take a walk?" she asked. May looked down at her pajamas before glancing back up at Dawn.

"Sure, uh… Let me change, I'll be back in a few minutes..." May said before going back up into her room to change into real clothes.

* * *

><p>"I still can't believe he did that to us..." Dawn said as she and May walked down the sidewalk. "I-I mean... He acted like our friend, even saved you from getting detention, and yet insults us behind our backs..."<p>

May nodded, she had never felt such a shock and sudden depression that she felt when Gary blabbed about Ash laughing at her.

"It's just life..." May mumbled, "stupid... Cruel... Life..."

"I had never felt so happy in my life!" Dawn said, "Not only had I finally made a new friend, but our friendship became stronger." May looked at Dawn and gave her a sad smile.

"Yeah, it did, didn't it?" May asked.

"The boy changed you May..." Dawn said, "Don't think I haven't noticed, but I don't think that this tutoring was just about the Chemistry test."

"What chem-" May began before stopping short, she had completely forgotten about the test.

"See what I mean?" Dawn said, "You didn't even remember that you had a chemistry test. This tutoring turned into a friendship, and... It changed you..." Dawn said. May thought about it, it was true, her life was no longer consumed by school and studying, she began to get a new mind set.

"I'm not the only one who has changed..." May said bumping Dawn, "You've done some changing; you hadn't cut those wrist at all while we were friends with Ash..." Dawn looked at her wrists for a minute, before tears began to swell up in her eyes.

"Dawn?" May asked, "Are you okay?" suddenly, Dawn let out a frustrated scream, falling to her knees.

"Dawn!" May exclaimed, kneeling down beside her friend, "What's wrong?"

"As if it could any worse!" Dawn exclaimed, "Of all the nights!"

"Dawn! What happened?" May asked, suddenly realizing that there was more to those tired eyes than just Ash.

"M-My mom..." She began, "oh Arceus..." she fell to her side, now laying on the sidewalk, crying.

"Dawn? What's wrong?" May tried to ask again.

"M-My Mom's... Pregnant..." Dawn said, "That stupid jerk of a boyfriend of hers got her pregnant, and now he's ditching her!"

"That's horrible!" May exclaimed.

"Yeah... Story of my life..." Dawn said, beginning to cry again, "History is just repeating itself..." May suddenly caught on to what Dawn was saying.

_"Well, well, well..."  
><em>  
>May turned to the sound of the voice, "Oh man, not now," May whispered, Gary and Barry where approaching May and Dawn, Gary had a smug look on his face.<p>

"Uh, Gary... I don't think this is a good idea..." Barry said.

"The great emo girl Dawn has been brought down to a crying lump on the sidewalk..." Gary said. May's rage was brought right back again, nobody talked to her only friend like that, especially right now.

"Shut up Gary! Dawn's going through a hard time!" May said. Gary was completely unfazed.

"Shut your mouth, Worthless!" Gary said, "Don't speak unless spoken to!" he had such authority, something May couldn't overcome, causing her to back off.

"Gary... Let's just go," Barry said, Gary completely ignored him.

"Come on emo girl," Gary teased, "What's the matter? Mommy pregnant again?"

"_Gary_..." Barry began.

"How would you know?" May asked, Gary laughed.

"That's another story for another time..." Gary sneered, turning back to Dawn. "You know Dawn… I still haven't gotten over that kicking you gave me the other day, maybe a little more revenge will help." Gary lifted his foot and kicked Dawn in the face. May couldn't take that, she ran at Gary and trying to tackle him to the ground, but he didn't fall over.

"Get, off me!" Gary shouted, shoving May to the ground and preparing the kick her as well.

_"Gary!"_

Everyone turned and saw Ash running towards them.

"Ash!" Barry exclaimed.

"Hey, Ash, watch me make a punching bag out of this girl..." Gary said, he kicked May a few times, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Gary! Stop!" Ash exclaimed, Gary looked at him oddly.

"Why?" he asked. May and Dawn were now both curled up, May was silently crying and dawn had been knocked out as Gary stood tall and threatening between them.

"It's not right, you're hurting them!" Ash said.

"I'm going to agree with Ash on this one," Barry said.

"Oh, so you don't like it when I do this?" Gary said, kicking Dawn and then kicking May. Ash ran at him and successfully tackled him to the ground, at first Gary struggled, but once Barry helped Ash pin him down, Gary knew he had lost.

"Don't. Touch. Them. Again." Ash told him, Gary grimaced at his menacing tone and nodded.

"I-I thought you were just joking..." He explained.

Ash and Barry got off him, allowing him to get up, before he quickly walking away.

"Remind me to fine him..." Barry said to Ash. Ash turned over to May and Dawn, who were still laying on the ground.

"Are you guys hurt?" he asked.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK?" May exclaimed. Ash knelt down by her, sliding his arms under her and heaving her over his shoulder.

"Gary, get Dawn," Ash said.

"But-" Barry began.

"But what?"

"G-germs..."

Ash rolled his eyes and huffed, "Forget a about the germs! The girl is hurt!" Barry sighed, and knelt down by the emo girl. Barry closed his eyes as he slid his arms under her and, with a lot of self control, heaved her over his shoulder like Ash had to May.

"Let's take them to my house, it's right down here..." Ash said. As they made their way to Ash's house, Barry began to get tired. Dawn let out a moan as she came to.

"Geez you're heavy..." he said, "When this is over, I'm going to have to fine you..."

"If you don't walk more steadily, I'm going to have to kill you!" Dawn said, frustrated with the rough ride.

"Y-yes ma'am..." Barry said, still afraid of Dawn. May on the other hand wasn't doing very well, she began to lose consciousness and everything went black.

* * *

><p>Ash and Barry finally managed to get the two girls to Ash's house, surprising Ash's mother.<p>

"My goodness, what happened?" She asked, rushing over to the boys.

"We found them on the sidewalk," Ash said, keeping out the part about Gary.

"Lay them down on the couches," Mrs. Ketchum said. Ash layed down May, who was now unconscious, while Barry laid down Dawn, who was beginning to fall into unconsciousness.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to wash my hands..." Barry said.

* * *

><p>May woke up feeling rather sore, she groaned and adjust herself.<p>

Wait...

"Dawn!" May exclaimed, suddenly sitting up, eyes wide open. She looked around noticing Dawn asleep on the other couch.

Where am I? May asked herself, she looked around a recognized that she was at Ash's house. She began to recall what had happened.

May blinked away a few tears as she sat up on the couch, when she heard voices.

"_So... You've been hanging out with them?_" she heard Barry say from the dining room.

_"Yeah, originally May was tutoring me, and Dawn was there to make sure I was doing my job," _She heard Ash say, _"But it kinda turned into a friendship... Until..."_

_"Until what?"_

...

_"Well, when you and Gary came over yesterday and where talking about how I was laughing at Gary's jokes..."_

...

_"Oh..."_

_"Yeah, and then she kicked me in the nuts..."_

_"Dawn?"_

_"No, May..."_

...

_"Whoa..."_

_"Yeah, she packs a punch when she's angry..."_

_"So when Gary said that joke, was your laughing genuine?" _Barry asked, _"Or where you just covering up."  
><em>

_"I was just covering up,"_ Ash said, May's heart skipped a beat, _"But they wouldn't believe me if I told them... They would think I was lying..."  
><em>  
><em>"I know what you mean..."<em>Barry said. By this point, May had gotten off the couch and was standing in the doorway watching the two males talk, but neither seemed to notice her.

"I feel really bad..." Ash said, "I couldn't even sleep last night, and not just because my balls hurt..." Ash let out a sigh. "I should have never treated them like I did; I should have just told you guys that I was hanging out with them..."

"Hey man, it's cool, I mean, you did the same thing to me in kindergarden..." Barry said.

"Yeah, but that didn't result with you lying on the sidewalk unconscious. What the heck is wrong with Gary? He can't just kick whoever he wants..."

"Yeah, I guess something's will never change," Barry said, he looked towards then door way and noticed May, Ash also turned and saw her standing there.

"Uh... I'm gonna go to the bathroom..." Barry said, getting up from the table.

"While you're at it, clean it all up. Mom loves it when you do that..." Ash joked.

"Whatever man, I don't know what goes on in there..." With that, Barry left. May walked over to the table and sat down by Ash.

"Ash, is what you said true?" She asked a hoping expression.

"How much did you hear? Because that part about Pikachu drinking from the toilet was just a joke to tease Barry..." Ash said.

"It was?" Barry raced into the dining room, Ash sighed.

"Barry, I thought you were going to the bathroom," Ash said.

"Oh, right..." Barry said, disappearing again, May turned back to Ash, waiting for a serious answer.

"... I... I was telling the truth..." Ash said, "I'm really sorry, I should have been a better friend..." May smiled before wrapping her arms around Ash and hugging him tightly.

"I forgive you..." May said, surprisingly, Ash returned the embrace. All of May sadness and worries melted away as she began to feel those sparks of joy she had been longing for all day. They let of each other and smiled.

"Well, it's good to get that off my chest..." Ash said.

"Well that was sweet..."

Ash and May turned and saw Dawn standing in the doorway of the dining room. She joined Ash and May at the dining room table, a smile on her face.

"I'm glad that was all sorted out..." Dawn said, sitting down.

May suddenly remembered what Dawn had told her that morning, she pulled her away from the dining room and into the living room.

"So, will your mother keep the baby?" May asked quietly.

Dawn twiddled with her thumbs before answering "I don't know... she never has before... Except... For me..." Dawn sighed and shoulders slumped.

"I was the first... And most likely the last..." Dawn said, "I swear I'm going to kill that idiot..."

"Don't do anything stupid..." May said, Dawn nodded. The two then made their way back to the dining room, seeing Barry had returned, the two girls sat back down at the table, creating an awkward silence.

"So... Why are you emo?" Barry asked Dawn.

Dawn looked at him for minute, thinking about her answer, "To make a statement..." she replied.

"What statement?"

"That life sucks..." Dawn said, Barry made a weird face.

"Well, there are lots of germs and all, but that doesn't mean that it sucks..." Barry said.

Dawn face-palmed "Well that's because you have it good, you wouldn't last two seconds in my life..." Barry blinked a few times.

"Why? What's your life like?"

_Wrong question.  
><em>  
>Dawn's eyes began to get watery, sniffing a few times.<p>

"Ah! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean-" Barry tried to explain. May just rubbed her cry friend's back and motioned him not to say anything.

"Dawn's going through a hard time..." May said, continuing to rub Dawn's back. Ash and Barry just watched sadly as Dawn cried.

Suddenly, Pikachu hopped into the room, and up on the table, and patted Dawn on the head with his little paws. She looked up and slightly smiled through the tears, grabbing the Pokémon and hugging him.

When she finally calmed down, Barry finally apologized, "Uh, sorry about that, I didn't know that the question would have such an effect." Dawn nodded to him, accepting his apology, still hugging Pikachu tightly.

"Say, why don't we go to the ice cream parlor?" Ash asked, "They have sales on Saturdays..."

"I could go for an ice cream," Barry agreed.

"Yeah, let's go," Dawn said, May on the other hand, wasn't too open to the idea.

"Uh, no thanks..." she said, twiddling her thumbs.

"What?" Ash asked, "Why not?"

May scratched her head and said, "Uh, It's just fattening, that's all..."

Ash's jaw dropped, "Are you kidding? Ice cream is totally worth getting fat..."

"I wouldn't know..." May said.

"Why not?"

"I've never had ice cream before." May said, not daring to look any of her friends in the eyes.

"Really?" Dawn asked in disbelief.

"That's crazy!" Barry said.

Ash stood there for a second, still processing the fact that May had never had ice cream before. "Well, you should at least try it..." Ash said, May looked at him before shaking her head.

"I'd hate to spend money on something that I may not like," was May's reply.

"Well, I'll buy it for you; you haven't lived until you've had ice cream..." Ash said.

May shook her head again, "No you're not gonna spend money on me."

"If you say so... But you can still come with us, and just not have anything," Ash asked, winking at

May looked each of the three, "okay, sure."

* * *

><p>"Ugh, look at these seats!"<p>

Barry was bending over examining the tables and chairs of the ice cream parlor.

"I swear they get dirtier everyday!" Barry said, huffing and putting his hands on his hips.

"Uh, maybe that's because their outside..." Dawn said.

"I mean, look at the location! It's _outside_!" Barry said. Dawn let out a huff.

May gazed at the ice cream cone in her hand, still debating whether or not to eat it. Ash had somehow convinced her let him buy her a cone.

"Barry, are you going to sit-down or just stand there..." Ash asked.

"Stand of course! I can't afford to get my pants dirty!" Barry said.

"Since when has a boy ever cared about his cloths?" Dawn asked, giving Barry a quizzed look.

"Dawn, meet Barry," Ash said.

"Hey man, don't tease, this table happens to be right under a tree! Do you know what that means? Bird Pokémon sit in the tree and poop on the table!" Barry said, trying to defend himself.

"But... Your still under the tree, a bird can still poop on you..." Dawn said. Barry looked up and gasped.

"Holy sanitizer! You're right!" Barry said, running away and out from under the tree.

Ash sighed, "Barry! Get back over here!" he shouted, Barry shook his head and licked his ice cream.

"Not unless you brought an umbrella!" Barry shouted to them.

"Oh, let paranoid boy eat his ice cream alone!" Dawn said, as if on cue, a white glob fell on the table. Everyone looked up and saw a Pidgey perched in the tree above them.

"On second thought, I think I'll go join Barry..." Dawn said getting up and hurrying out from under the tree, leaving Ash and May by themselves. He watched May as she examined her ice cream.

"May, you haven't even touched you ice cream, it's gonna melt if you don't hurry up..." Ash said, licking his own ice cream. May let out a sigh.

"I mean come on; one ice cream won't kill you..." Ash said.

"My grandpa died choking on ice cream..." May said flatly, making Ash's cough on his ice cream.

"S-Sorry..." he said, "is that the real reason you don't want to try it?"

May nodded.

"I won't make you eat it if you really don't want to..." Ash said, having a sudden change of heart.

"Well, we all have fears… High places, bugs, fire..." she took another deep breath, "Mine is ice cream..."

Ash forced himself to hold back a laugh, "That's an interesting fear..." at this point the ice cream had begun to drip down the cone to May's fingers.

_I should at least try it,_ May thought, _after all Ash did buy it for me..._

May leaned forward and slowly, and carefully took a lick of her vanilla ice cream. It was cold, soft, sweet, and melted in her mouth. May looked at her ice cream while Ash looked surprised that she had tried it and was waiting for her reaction.

Her mouth curled into a smile.

"Wow..." May said.

"Wow?" Ash asked.

"T-This is amazing!" May said, taking another lick of her ice cream, "I can't believe it! T-this is great!" she continued to lick it several times. Ash watched as May began to rapidly lick the ice cream away. "All my life... I've been missing out on something so incredible!"

Ash smiled and licked his ice cream, "Yeah, it's amazing the things you can find once you're willing to try them..." he said, he looked over at Dawn and Barry, who were talking about who-knows-what.

"Barry is okay with Dawn, right?" Ash asked. May looked at him with confusion written on her face.

"What?"

"Barry won't get hurt or anything, right?"

"Oh, no, not unless he is really is asking for it..." May said nonchalantly, licking away at her ice cream.

"Oh, just checking..." Ash said, now biting his cone.

...

...

...

May hated awkward silences, it wasn't something she experienced often, due to the fact she didn't talk too much to people anyways. But she knew she needed to strike up a conversation because she couldn't bare the silence.

"So do you want some tutoring after we're done eating ice cream?" May asked, Ash glanced at her.

"On a Saturday? It's the weekend!" Ash protested.

"We have until Tuesday, less than three days," May told him.

"Yeah, but there has to be some fun in life!" Ash said.

"You can have fun after Tuesday..." May said.

"May," Ash said, "I'm programmed not to work on weekends, like, I go brain dead, once Monday comes around, I can fire it back up again..."

"Can you not fire it up now?"

"Not without killing a Rattata..."

…

"You're kidding..."

"Of course I'm kidding, but I still won't do any school on the weekends."

"I'll go get Dawn..." May said, knowing she had him there.

...

"Still no..." Ash said, throwing the rest of his cone in his mouth. "Do you not know the meaning of fun?"

"Yes..."

"Of course you do, you're a walking dictionary..." Ash sighed, "How do you have fun?"

"Uh. I study..." May said, Ash almost broke his jaw as it dropped; his eyes almost were bulging out of his head.

"W-**WHAT**?" He exclaimed, not believing what he was hearing.

"You know, sit down at my desk with a few books and study..." May said, enjoying Ash's reaction. "What do you do for fun?" she asked him.

"I don't know! Go to the movies! Video games! Riding bikes! Pulling pranks on teachers!" Ash said, still in disbelief.

"Hm, that's odd," May said, finishing off her ice cream and brushing her hands on her shorts, Ash just looked at her in completely awe.

"What has happened to you? S-studying- for... **For fun**?" Ash exclaimed.

"Yeah," May said, finding the situation to be amusing, Ash grabbed her wrist and pulled her off her seat and over to Barry and Dawn.

"Barry!" Ash exclaimed frantically, "We need fun! **NOW**!" Ash's eyes lit up with passion. Barry looked baffled.

"What's the rush? Is the world going to end? **Ha**! And you thought I was crazy all these years!" Barry said.

"No! May. Has never. Had. _Fun_." Ash said, May just playfully waved and giggled.

"What are you talking about?" Dawn asked.

"She studies for fun!" Ash said.

"Oh, that's all? I don't see- **WAIT WHAT**?" Barry exclaimed.

"May studies..." Ash began, throwing a dramatic pause and shaking his fist, "_For fun_..." he barely said above a whisper.

Barry's jaw fell to the ground, "Holy Kleenex! That's almost as bad as germs!"

"We- We gotta think of something!" Ash said.

"Oh! I know! 3-2-1 **NOT IT**!" Barry exclaimed.

"Not it!" Ash said.

"Wait what?" May asked.

"Not it!" Dawn said quickly, catching onto what was going on.

"MAY'S IT! **RUN**!" Ash exclaimed. The three teens disappeared in the dust that rose as they dashed away, leaving May standing there baffled.

"What just happened?" She asked herself, everything happened too fast, even for her brain.

"Wait, are we playing tag!" she exclaimed, but got no reply, assuming that meant yes, she took a deep breath. May wasn't much of a runner, so she knew she'd have to find a different approach, to catch them all.

_Stealth..._

She figured Barry would be easy to kind considering he was so afraid of germs. She scratched her head and looked around, but figured she'd have to actually walk around to find them.

As she walked, she noticed Ash behind a tree, but she pretended not to see him. She disappeared and went around hiding behind a tree a bit away. She quietly crept from tree to tree, slowly making her way towards him. Just when she was on the final stretch, creeping up behind him, Barry gave her away.

_"ASH LOOK OUT!"_

Ash spun around and jumped, startled to see May there. "Oh snaps!" He said before trying to escape, May trailing behind him. She knew that she wouldn't be able to catch him by run, with all her might she sprang forward and tackled him.

"OOF!" Ash grunted, falling over with May on top of him. Ash groaned as May laid on him.

"Hello Ash..." May said.

"Hi May..."

"I believe I just tagged you."

"Yeah, I don't believe it."

"That means you're it."

"I know, I know..."

"No tag backs!" May said as she quickly got off him and dashed away. He sighed and got up, brushing himself off and looking around.

"It's on..." he said with a smirk.

* * *

><p>Ash tagged Dawn, Dawn tagged Barry, Barry retagged Dawn.<p>

"Hey! No tag backs!" Dawn exclaimed.

"You have to say it before you're tagged again..." Barry argued.

"I've never heard something so ridicules!" Dawn said, stamping a foot.

"It's a rule..." Barry confirmed.

"Rrrrrrr, fine! Tag!" Dawn said, poking Barry, making him jump.

"Keep your germy hands off me! And no tag backs!"

"You didn't say _'no tag backs_'!" Dawn said, crossing her arms.

"That's ridicules! Tag backs are a cheap away to play tag!"

"You tag backed me first!"

"Oh give me a break!"

"I show you a break!" With that, Dawn tackled Barry to the ground. Barry let out a yelp.

"**GAH**! Germs! Get away, Get away!" Barry exclaimed.

Ash and May watched the whole scene unfold before them from the hiding spot they were sharing.

"Should we help him?" Ash asked.

"Nah, Dawn won't hurt him... too badly..." May said, just making Ash even more uncomfortable than before.

"Err... Maybe I should," Ash said.

"ASH! **HEEEEEEEEELP**!" Barry exclaimed.

Ash stood up, "That's my cue," He told May before running out from behind their hiding spot, and over to where Barry and Dawn where struggling.

"Alright! Cut it out! Both of you!" Ash said, pulling Dawn away and standing between the two teens, May also walked up in case Dawn did something she shouldn't.

"YUCK!" Barry exclaimed, a shiver running down his spine, "I'm gonna need a shower! Fast!"

"You started it!" Dawn said, crossing her arms again.

"I started it?" Barry exclaimed, pointing at himself.

"Yeah! You and your stupid tag backs!" Dawn spat.

"Enough!" Ash exclaimed, both teens grew silent.

"I think we've played enough tag for the day..." May said, hoping to end the dispute.

"Yeah, let's do something else..." Ash suggested, Barry folded his arms and turned away.

"Fine, but I'm not talking to Dawn for the rest of the day..." he said.

"You're giving me the silent treatment?" Dawn asked.

Barry chuckled, "That's right, I am!" everyone sweat-dropped.

* * *

><p>"Clue... I haven't played this for years..." Dawn said. The four teens all sat down at the Ketchum residence around the dining room table, a game of Clue laid out.<p>

"I've never played it before, you'll have to explain the rules..." May said. After Ash's failed attempt to try to clearly explain the rules, she turned to Barry for help, who was a bit more successful.

"Max is gonna be so ticked when I tell him we played a board game without him," May said, Ash and Dawn let out a laugh, Barry, though, didn't get it.

"Oh! I call the yellow guy!" Barry said.

"I want the blue one!" Dawn said.

"I want red!" May called out, grabbing the red player.

Ash shook his head and laughed, "You all may think those colors are great, but you'll think differently after I conquer you all as Professor Plum!"

And after Barry cleaned off all the pieces with a wipe, they began to play their game.

* * *

><p>"How the heck did you figure it out so fast?" Ash exclaimed, May now had made an accusation and held the cards she had just called before her.<p>

"I only went to half the rooms!" Barry exclaimed.

"Well, When You asked Dawn about the Mr. Green with the wrench in the dining room, I had Mr. Green, and Barry had showed me the dining room, so I knew she showed you the wrench, and this other time..." May then began to explain to them her several strategies to winning, Ash just sat there with his jaw slack.

"What you just said made no sense," Barry said, "But it sounded smart!" Dawn shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me!" Barry exclaimed, Dawn just sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"See May?" Ash said, hoping to change the subject, "Isn't doing things like this so much more fun than studying?" May thought for a minute, while Ash waited expectantly, Barry and Dawn where too busy arguing to pay attention.

May smiled and nodded, "So far..." she said, Ash put on a goofy grin, satisfied with his job well done.

_"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"_

They looked and saw Dawn rubbing a pillow from off the couch in Barry's face.

"I'VE BEEN **CONTAMINATED**!" Barry said, frantically trying to brush off his tongue with his fingers. He jumped up and dashed out of the dining room as fast as he could, but instead slammed his face into rim of the doorway and fell on his back.

"Barry!" Dawn exclaimed, everyone got up and crouched down by their friend.

"Ooooh, I hope you cleaned this floor recently..." Barry groaned, making everyone sweat-drop.

"You're such a retard..." Dawn said, playfully bonking Barry's head, earning a whimper.

"I have has much of a right be a germaphobic retard as you have being emo..." Barry groaned, still lying on the floor, Dawn was about to protest, but fell silent.

_He had a point._

"Now could you help me up, I don't want to touch the floor with my hands..."

* * *

><p>After having "fun" with Ash and Barry, May and Dawn walked home, stopping in front of May's house before parting.<p>

"It was fun," Dawn said, smiling a little.

"It was?" May asked, "All you did was argue with Barry."

Dawn sighed and shrugged her shoulders "It's hard to explain, it was... 'fun arguing' I guess." May also shrugged before waving good bye.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow and see if I can give Ash some tutoring..." May said, Dawn nodded and turned to leave, May did the same.

"You know... I didn't want today to end..."

May stopped in her tracks and looked back at Dawn, "What?" she asked, Dawn slowly turned around, her fist clenched.

"I had fun today... But... Now I just get to return to my problems, I swear I'm going to teach that stupid jerk who mistreated my mom a lesson," Dawn sighed, May walked up to Dawn, they looked at each other for a minute before hugging each other.

"It'll be okay Dawn... I'll help you through this..." May said, rubbing her friend's back. The two separated and backed up.

"That Ash really has changed you..." Dawn said quietly, but turning to leave again, leaving May by herself.

_Changed me?_

May thought for a minute, she had definitely lightened up since she had begun to tutor Ash. It was a good change.

_She liked it..._

She laughed to herself and smiled before heading into her house.

* * *

><p><strong>Almost posted the last chapter twice, that would have been embarrassing.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Test**

* * *

><p><strong>Hi, I know, it's a bit early to be posting, but I'll be out of the house all day, figured I would play it safe and post now :)<strong>

**I don't own Pokémon**

**Read and be happy.**

* * *

><p><strong>Day 5: Sunday<strong>

May woke up early, just like she did every normal weekend. She went down the stairs and quickly ate her breakfast, just like she did every normal weekend. She went back up to her room and slipped into some clothes, just like she did every normal weekend.

And just like she did every normal weekend, she sat down at her desk and picked up a text book, and flipped it open.

_I have programmed myself not to work on weekends, like, I go brain dead._

May looked up from her book, hearing Ash's voice in her head.

_Once Monday comes around, I can fire it back up again._

She glanced down at the book, suddenly feeling unfocused and uninterested. She strained to try to force herself to focus on the text. She grunted in frustration, wondering why she couldn't seem to focus suddenly.

She grabbed her book and slammed it shut, huffing and blowing some hair out of her face. She blinked a few times glaring at her book. She sighed and sat back in her chair, what is going on? Why could she suddenly not focus? Was Ash rubbing off of her?

She gasped, was she becoming a slacker! She got up and flopped down on her bed, which he noticed she had forgotten to make that morning. _What? I never forget to make my bed! _May thought to herself. Looking around, she noticed she had books on the floor and her desk wasn't tidy and in order like it normally was. She turned her head and gazed at the ceiling.

_That Ash really has changed you..._

Had he? How long had she been tutoring him, 4 days? Could she really have changed in 4 days? Her main focus ever since she had reached high school was her studies, and earning scholarships so she would be in successful in life.

_Am I trying too hard? _May thought to herself. _Maybe I've been overworking myself, all these years. _She heard a knock on her door.

"Come in," May said. She heard the door open and turned to see who was there.

She saw her mother pop her head in her room, "Honey, a friend of yours is here." May got up out of her bed and raced down the stairs. She ran through the living room and down the hall to the front door, where she found Ash standing with Barry.

"What's up?" May asked, Ash exchanged glances with Barry.

"Uh, heh, I'm here for tutoring..." Ash said, scratching the back of his head, "I know I said I really didn't want to, but... Um, yeah..." May blinked a few times, Ash just looked at her.

"You don't want to study, do you?" May asked.

"No not really," Ash said, "I just know how important the test is to you, so I want to do good this time."

May was taken aback. He actually cared now? He wanted to do good for her?

_Whoa..._

"That's... Really sweet of you..." May said, still baffled, "But... I don't think we should study today." Ash looked at get curiously, face brightening.

"Really?" Ash asked, "How come?" he suddenly sounded perkier.

"We have plenty of time to cover on Monday and Tuesday," May told him, "Besides, I don't really feel like studying today." May never thought she would ever say those words in the same sentence that way.

"Well, in that case, let's do something fun!" Barry exclaimed, throwing his fist in the air.

"Yeah! Let's go over to Home Depot and touch all the stuff on the shelves!" Ash said.

"AHHHH! NO WAY!" Barry exclaimed "By the way, where's Dawn?"

May gave him a quizzed look, "Uh, she's not my sister or anything, it's not like she lives here..." She told him, Barry jaw went slack.

"Oh," he said, embarrassed that he seemed to not have realized that.

"Let's go get her, no reason for her to miss out on all the fun," Ash said, Barry and May nodded and together they all ran down the road.

"WAIT!"

Ash and Barry came to a screeching halt, turning to May.

"What's wrong?" Ash asked.

"Um, I actually have no idea where Dawn lives," May told them, making Ash and Barry both fall over.

"Ack! I can't believe I just touched the side walked!" Barry said, quickly getting up and putting on hand sanitizer.

* * *

><p>After looking up the Berlitz residence on the Internet, May, Ash, and Barry all walked to the neighborhood that Dawn supposedly lived.<p>

"Wow, that place is creepy," Ash said, the neighborhood was no happy place, most of the houses looked empty or had suffered from a terrible accident. Paint had faded and peeled and none of the houses had a full roof of shingles. The road looked like it had been lifted out of the ground and thrown back, covered in cracks, holes, and bumps which never were fixed.

"I bet a lot of shady business goes on here," May said.

"I can almost feel germs in the air..." Barry whined.

"Want a piece of candy?"

"No thanks, Ash," May said.

"I didn't say anything, Barry asked," Ash said.

"What! Don't look at me!" Barry exclaimed, beginning to panic.

"Then who-" May began to asked before seeing an old man hobbling towards then, a small bag of pills in his hands.

"Would you kids like a piece of candy?" He asked as he approached them, May let out a scream and the three made a run for it.

* * *

><p>"I should have brought Pikachu!" Ash said, breathing heavily from running.<p>

"That was the second scariest moment of my life!" Barry said. May didn't say anything; she was trying to get the creepy image of the old man out of her brain.

"I bet twenty bucks he wasn't going to give us candy!" Barry said.

"No, duh," Ash said sarcastically. Barry looked around, checking to see if the man was gone.

"Hey, there's Dawn's house!" Barry exclaimed, pointing to one of the un-kept houses, "her address was 156 right?"

"Yeah, now let's get her and leave so we don't have another traumatizing experience," May said, feeling rather in a hurry. The three walked up to the door, May knocked. After waiting a few seconds, the doorknob juggled and a large, muscular man opened the door, looking rather irritated about being disturbed.

"Hello sir!" Barry said.

**"WHAT DO YOU DAG NAB TEENAGERS WANT?" **The man exclaimed, making them all jump.

"He spit on me," Barry said quietly.

"Um, is this the Berlitz residence?" Ash asked. The man shook his head and pointed to a house across the street, with an address number of 156. The man wordlessly slammed the door leaving the teens at his doorstep.

"Well what would you know," Barry said, examining the house number, "His was actually 159, but the nine was upside down."

…

"BARRY YOU ALMOST GOT US **KILLED**!" May exclaimed, irritated and paranoid about what could have happened to them.

"Heh heh, oops..." Barry said, Ash face-palmed.

"Let's just get Dawn, I'm really getting creeped out," Ash said, May nodded, completely agreeing with what he said. They walked across the street up to the house the man had pointed out. May knocked on the door and the teens took a step back, prepared to run if worse came to worse.

***Creeeeeeeek***

...

"Hello, you must be Dawn's friends."

The teens opened their clamped shut eyes and were relieved to see a blue haired woman. She was in pajamas, her hair was a mess, and she had circles under her eyes as if she had a sleepless night.

"Is Dawn home?" May asked, hoping they didn't come all this way for nothing.

"Hm? No, she left awhile ago," Dawn's mother said. The three sighed, thanked the woman, and left, sitting down on the curb in front of the house.

"So, where do you think she went?" Ash asked May, who shrugged and shook her head.

"Um, I don't know if this is a big deal," Barry began, "But Dawn told me she was gonna teach the guy, that... You know... She was gonna teach him a lesson."

"That's probably just a figure of speech," May said, "Dawn is just mad at that-" she pauses for a moment, suddenly realizing something.

"Wait, she told you about that?" May asked. Barry blinked a few times and nodded.

"Tell him what?" Ash asked, May looked him and then at Barry.

"I'll let Dawn explain," May said, she was still surprised Dawn had decided to share something like that with Barry.

Barry sighed and stood up, "I'm gonna go asked Dawn's Mom if she might have any idea where she is." With that, he stood up and walked up to the door, pulled out and tissue, wrapped it around his hand, and knocked.

Dawn's mother opened the door again and they appeared to be having a conversation. Suddenly, Barry stiffened, he asked a question, which she answered and he spun around and dashed down the road.

"Barry!" Ash exclaimed, "Where're you going!" He and May stood up, chasing after the tall boy.

"No time!" Barry exclaimed, "Just follow!" Ash and May exchanged glances but followed Barry.

They dashed out of the creepy neighborhood and down the road. After a few minutes, they dashed into another neighborhood and took a few turns. Barry was fanatically looking back and forth at the houses, all which looked as bad as Dawn's neighborhood.

"Dawn!" Barry exclaimed. He ran into a house, which the front door oddly was open. The three ran into the house, where they saw an angry Dawn standing over a knocked out man, a bat in hand her hand.

"Dawn! No!" Barry exclaimed, leaping forward and tackling Dawn to the ground.

Ash's eyes widened and his jaw went slack, "B-Barry touched her," Ash said, astonished, "no soap or lotion... Or... Anything..."

Barry wrenched the bat from Dawn's hands, throwing to the side. Ash and May knelt down next to her.

"What happened?" May asked.

Dawn growled angrily. "I don't want to talk about it here," she said.

Ash and Barry exchanged glances and wordless helped Dawn up. May noted that Barry once again didn't seem fazed that he had touched something. The four quietly walked out of the house, May grabbed the doorknob and quietly closed the front door.

* * *

><p>"So what happened?"<p>

The four now sat silently at a picnic table in a park, Ash and May say opposite of Dawn and Barry. May broke the silence.

"What happened?" She asked again after not getting a response from Dawn.

Dawn clenched her fist."It happened so fast..." Everyone leaned forward, waiting for her to continue.

"I went over there... Planning on giving the idiot who lived in that house a piece of my mind..." Dawn said, her knuckle where white, she looked about ready to break the table.

"He slapped me, pulled my hair..." Dawn said quietly, leaning on Barry. "So I knocked him senseless with a baseball bat." She chuckled proudly, "He had it coming to him."

Dawn suddenly got off Barry, sitting up straight and looking at him, "You tackled me..." she said. Barry didn't seem to like where this was going.

"I just didn't want you to do anything stupid... Which… you already had…" Berry said, scratching the back of his head. Dawn began to poke him.

"What are you doing?" Barry asked, Dawn looked up with a smirk.

"A day ago, you wouldn't even let me touch you..." Dawn said to Barry. He blinked a few times.

"Let me try," May said, reaching over the table, Barry immediately back away.

"Whoa hang on, not to..." Barry looked at each of his friends, finally landing on Dawn, "... Close." Ash watched with amusement.

"Well Barry?" Ash began, chuckling a little.

"Um..." Barry said, beginning to faintly blush. He let out a loud yelp as Dawn tackled him to the ground, snuggling into him.

"**HELP**!" Barry exclaimed, "I am touching dirt, ew ew **ew**!"

Ash laughed and got up from the table, "Dog pile on Barry!" he said loudly. Dawn laughed and got of top Barry.

"No! This is a bad idea!" Barry protested, but it was too late, May and Ash had already piled on top of him.

"GET OFF ME OR I'M GONNA DIE!" Barry shouted. Still laughing, Ash, May, and Dawn got off their friend.

"You'll die?" Ash asked, "Why? The dirt isn't going to eat you..."

Barry huffed and quickly got back to his feet quickly brushing himself off. "It very well might," he said sarcastically.

"Aw, quit being a big weenie," Dawn said, hugging Barry, his only reaction was a twitch.

Ash and May exchanged glances.

"Very interesting," Ash said.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 6: Monday<strong>

May hurried about and quickly got ready for school, wanting to be ready when Ash came.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Previous day:<em>**

_"We can walk to school together, It'll be fun," Ash explained to her. She tilted her head._

_"What about your reputation at school?" May asked._

_Since she and Ash had become friends, she had dreaded the days after the test, thinking Ash would forgot about her and things would go back to normal. But what he was asking her now sparked new possibilities._

_Ash sighed sadly and shook his head "That's not important anymore," he said, "Barry would agree with me, besides, Gary will probably tell everyone anyways..."_

_May's jaw went slack, hearing Ash say that with sincerity in his voice made her smile. Their friendship wouldn't be temporary, not just a week long thing, like she had feared. Ash, along with Barry, would be friends with her and Dawn..._

* * *

><p><strong>Present:<strong>

May didn't want to be late and keep Ash waiting, although being late had never been a problem before. She finished packing her backpack and flopped down on the couch.

_Now all there was left to do was wait._

***knock* *knock* *knock***

May smiled, she hadn't lost all of her touch. She managed to plan and be completely ready, right on time.

May got up and walked to the door, excitement burning in her. She had never felt this before when walking to school. She always dreaded school; all it gave her was pain.

_But now..._

Now she had another reason to go the school instead of just getting a good education.

_Ash._

_Dawn._

And Barry, even if he was a little weird.

May opened the door, and not to her surprise, she found Ash standing there, wearing school clothes and a backpack slung over his shoulder.

"Hey, ready to go?" Ash asked; May smiled and nodded. The two walked down the road towards the school, and began to have a conversation.

"So the test is tomorrow," Ash said. May nodded.

"Yep, I'm sure you'll do great!" She said happily, "Although, we need to do a bit more studying after school." She expected a groan of unhappiness, but Ash didn't make even a peep,

"Okay," He said, as if he was fine with it. May smiled to herself, Ash really would try hard for her.

"Um... May?" Ash asked. May looked at him, raising a brow.

"I just wanted to say... Um... Thanks," Ash said, turning his head away from her.

"Thanks for what?" May asked, Ash stuffed his hands in his pocket and gazed at the ground as they walked.

"For tutoring me... Heck, for putting up with me," Ash said, now refusing to look her in the eyes.

May looked ahead for minute, "I'd like to thank you too," she said.

Ash looked at her and shrugged, "It's no big deal, I needed a better grade on that test anyways." Ash said. May laughed and shook her head.

"I mean for, being a friend," May said, Ash gave her a quizzed look.

"What do you mean?" he asked, May sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Ash, it doesn't take a scientist to be able to tell I don't have many friends," May said.

Ash tilted his head, "You had Dawn." May shrugged her shoulders,

"Dawn wasn't a very close friend back then," May said sadly, "I was just using her for protection, and occasionally helping her with school. We didn't hang out; we always just went our separate ways." Ash didn't say anything, but continued to walk forward, so May continued. "This last week has been one of the best weeks of my life," May said, "You've shone me that... There's more to life than school..."

Ash scratched his head, "Really?" he asked.

"I was an isolated young girl, hiding deep in her shell," May continued, "You pulled me out of that shell, you showed me what it was like to have fun. It was like living a whole new life..."

May suddenly lurch sideways and hugged Ash, stopping them both, "I just wanted to say... Thank you... For everything..." Ash smiled and hugged her back.

"I guess I didn't realize I had such an effect on you," Ash said.

May sighed and they began to walk again, "Me neither, until Dawn said something Saturday night."

"You're not the only one who changed," Ash said, "Look at me; my status at school will probably hit a new low..."

May sighed and hung her head "Sorry about that." She said sadly, Ash wrapped an arm around shoulders.

"Hey, it's not your fault, it's everyone else's, yet we're the ones who misjudge you and separated people into groups." Ash said. May blushed and smiled at him.

"Oh boy," Ash sighed, "here comes the school." May looked and sure enough the school was less than a block away.

"You don't have to do this," May said, silently praying he would anyways.

"Nah, Gary probably already told everyone," Ash said.

* * *

><p>"Next time I see Gary, I'm gonna fine him," Barry said, sitting before his food in the cafeteria. For the entire day, he and Ash had been getting weird looks and people had been staring at them.<p>

"You'll get used to it," Dawn said, "No need to worry."

"It's not that bad," Ash said, suddenly someone smacked the back if his head, his head went forward and face into his mashed potatoes.

"WHO DID THAT!" Ash exclaimed, spinning around to see none other than Gary.

"What's wrong Ashy-boy?" Gary asked mockingly. Ash dashed forward and slammed Gary against the wall, holding him by the collar of his shirt.

"I swear, I'm going to punch you so hard-" Ash began, but was interrupted when May tapped on his shoulder.

"Ash..." May said calmly, "Allow me..." with that she slapped him in the face and kicked him in his unspoken place.

"That's is for the other day, and every other time you miss treated me, or my friends," May huffed.

Barry's jaw went slack, "Oh snaps, Ash wasn't kidding..."

* * *

><p>May and Ash sat on the floor of May's room, Dawn, Barry, and Pikachu, whom Ash had brought, had gone downstairs to play a game with Max.<p>

"Alright," Ash said, rubbing his hands together, "time to study, hopefully nothing too horrible happens." May laughed and playfully hit him.

"You're such a goofball," she said.

"I'm not as bad as Barry," Ash said, trying to defend himself.

May smiled and shook her head, "No, but you're not much better."

Ash huffed and laid down on his back, "Well thanks a lot."

May giggled and laid down beside him. "Speaking of Barry," May began, "What do you think of him and Dawn?"

Ash sighed and let out a laugh, "It'll be interesting to see what happens and how that goes," Ash said, "For now, I'll just keep praying Barry will stay in one piece."

He and May laughed, "Dawn isn't going to hurt him," May said.

"She knocked a grown man unconscious with a baseball bat," Ash protested.

"Dawn isn't going to hurt him," May reassured him, "Too badly."

They laughed again.

"And what about you," May asked, "I noticed that Misty girl watching you today."

Ash shook his head, "She's just watching me because Pikachu and I accidentally destroyed her bike." May stifled a laugh.

"I guess Barry isn't the only one who should be worried," May said, turned to face Ash. He chuckled and faced her as well, their noses almost touching. They looked at each other for a minute, completely silent.

"Uh, let's study," He said, sitting up again.

May silently sighed, "Yeah, let's."

* * *

><p>"This is fantabulous!" Dawn said, cramming more food into her mouth.<p>

"I gotta admit, this is pretty darn good!" Barry agreed with his mouth full of food. May smiled to herself, she had gotten used to her mother's cooking, it was quite amusing to watch people flip out about it.

Norman poked at his chicken and put some in his mouth, "So Ash," he began, "Are you ready for that test tomorrow?" Ash looked up from his food.

"I still have a little tutoring to do," he said, "May is try to explain vu- ve- vo..."

"Valence electrons," May told him. Ash nodded his head towards her.

"Yeah, those..." he said, taking a deep breath, "Honestly though, I'm pretty nervous..." he admitted.

May's mother looked up and gave him a curious look, "Oh really? How come?" she asked. Ash sighed and sat back.

"I don't know, it feels like this test is important, I really need to do well on it," he said, making May smile.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," May assured him.

"Yeah, let's hope," Ash said.

* * *

><p>May, Ash, Dawn, Berry, and Pikachu all sat in May's room on the floor. Pikachu approached May with his head low, expecting her to just push him away. Surprisingly, May smiled at him and patted her lap.<p>

"Pika!" Pikachu said happily, hopping into May's lap. May gently scratched him behind the ears, causing him to coo.

"Looks like Pikachu really likes you," Ash said to May. She looked down at the Pokémon in her lap, who looked up at her cutely.

"He always did like me," May said, "I just never gave him a chance." Pikachu smiled and snuggled himself deeper into May's lap. Ash grinned as he watched Pikachu fall asleep.

"Bring the textbook over here," May said, not wanting to move and wake Pikachu up. Ash nodded and picked up the book and brought it over to May.

Barry and Dawn, who were on the floor leaning against May's bed, were talking about who-knows-what, not paying any attention to Ash and May.

"So Valence Electrons are..." May began, hoping Ash could complete the sentence.

"... Electrons..." Ash began, trying to concentrate, "... That are... Um... On the outside of the electron cloud, and can bond with other atom's electrons..."

May grinned, "Pretty much, you have the concept." Ash sigh and flopped down on the ground.

"Yay," he said, taking his cap off and rubbing his hand through his hair.

"You still nervous?" May asked, Ash nodded.

"Yeah, I really need to do well on his test," Ash said, "For my grade, for myself..."

Ash's voice dropped below a mumble, "... For you."

May cocked her head, "What did you say?" She asked, not hearing the last thing he had said.

"Nothing..." Ash said, sitting back up.

_"Help!"_

May and Ash turned their heads and saw Dawn had pinned Barry to the ground.

"Dawn, I don't know how clean this floor is, and really don't-" Barry said desperately, but was cut short when Dawn pecked him on the lips.

Ash exchanged glances which May, holding up three fingers and counting down,

_3._

_2._

_1._

"Oh snaps!" Barry said, Dawn got off him and he dashed out of the room, they could hear the sink in the bathroom turn on.

"Guess he's wasn't ready for that," Ash said. He, May and Dawn laughed.

* * *

><p><strong>Day 7: Tuesday<strong>

"Ash, I'm one hundred percent sure you'll do great."

"One hundred percent?"

"... Um, ninety nine percent."

"Oh."

Ash and May stood before Mr. James's chemistry classroom. Ash bounced nervously on his toes. May placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Chill out," She said, Ash stopped hopping on his toes, but still looked nervous. He took a deep breath.

"Alright, here goes nothing," Ash said. He and May strolled into the classroom. Mr. James, who had been sitting at his desk, looked up.

"Ah, I was wondering if you would show up," Mr. James said, he set down the piece of paper he had been reading and pulled out two sets of test sheets.

"You two can take the test together," He said, handing them each a test, "If Mr. Ketchum gets at least an A minus, I'll grade your test Ms. Maple." May nodded and took the test down at her desk, as Ash did his.

May zipped through the test like it was nothing; she looked over at Ash, who was still doing his test. May didn't want to get up and leave Ash there by himself. So she sat there and checked her answers...

_...Twenty times..._

Ash finally finished his test, and he and looked up, flashing May a thumbs up. The two got up and handed their tests to Mr. James, who nodded and told them he would have their papers graded the next day.

"That wasn't so bad," Ash said, adjusting his backpack as they walked down the now empty halls of the school.

May looked at him and smiled, "I'm almost positive you did great." she told him.

"Almost positive?" Ash asked.

"Almost..." May repeated. She laughed and playfully bumped into him.

"Thanks for the confidence boost," Ash said sarcastically.

* * *

><p>Barry and Dawn had their own things to do that day, so May and Ash strolled over to the ice cream parlor by themselves.<p>

"Whoa!" May said, "Chocolate is even better than vanilla!" She happily licked away at her ice cream, as Ash chuckled.

"I still can't believe you used to never eat ice cream," he said, licking his own cone.

May looked at her cone, thinking for a minute, suddenly her face brightened, "Let's make a deal." She said.

"Oh? What's the deal?" Ash asked, biting into his cone.

"If you don't at least get an A- on that test," May began, "You have to take me for ice cream every week until I've tried all the flavors." Ash chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"And if I get an A- or better?" He asked.

May thought for moment, trying to think up a good bargain, "I'll tell you a secret." she said.

Ash frowned, "You get buckets of ice cream and all I get is a secret?" May nodded.

"Come on, Ash," she said, "do you not think you did well?" Ash looked and her and then smirked.

"Of course not, it's a deal," Ash said, sticking his hand out, May stuck out her own hand and shook it.

"Deal," she agreed.

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm... Certain parts of this chapter make me want to twitch…<strong>

**I wrote this story a while ago, so it's definitely lacking… I feel like I didn't actually know what I was doing when I wrote this. Lol**

**It's funny how I look back at this and think "Wow, I was such a beginner when I wrote this…" But it actually was only a few months ago. :P**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Conclusions**

* * *

><p><strong>I don't have much to say, but if you vote for Pedro… all of your dreams will come true.<strong>

**I don't own Pokémon.**

* * *

><p>Ash seemed nervous the next day, the day Mr. James would reveal whether or not he had passed. He and May wordlessly walked down the road towards the school, but May didn't enjoy the unpleasant silence.<p>

"You're awfully quiet today," she said, breaking the silence. Ash shrugged, continuing to walk silently.

"It's really unnatural of you," May said.

"..." Ash remained silent.

"Are giving me the silent treatment or something?" May asked. Ash wordlessly shook his head.

"Sore throat?" May asked, continuing to probe, hoping to find Ash's problem.

"..." Ash wordlessly shook his head again.

May let out a frustrated sigh, "Then what's wrong? You just become the shy type?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. Ash again, shook his head without a peep, but May noticed an amused smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Why you-!" May exclaimed, realizing Ash was messing with her. She lunged to the side and tackled him off the sidewalk, into the neighbor's grass. Ash burst into laughter, as May pinned him to the ground.

"You jerk! I was worried for a second!" May shouted in his face. Ash's laughter slowed, but he continued to softly chuckle as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"It was too easy," Ash said, earning a playful snarl from May.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood," May said, flicking his nose. She got off from on top of him. He stood up and brushed himself off.

"I hope that you didn't crush the stuff in my backpack," Ash said, taking his backpack off and unzipping it.

"Probably not, you're as thin as a toothpick," May said playfully.

Ash glared up at her "Hey!" he exclaimed, as if offended by her remark.

"Would you rather I call you fat?" May asked. Ash frowned, pulled the brim of his hat over his eyes, and quickly walked past May.

"A-Ash?" May stammered, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" but she didn't get to finish her sentence, she noticed another smirk on Ash's face as he softly chuckled.

"You little-!" May began, Ash began laughing again and broke into a run, dashing ahead and down the sidewalk, May hot of his heels.

* * *

><p>Ash and May approached the school, slowing to a stop. May would have tackled Ash on the spot but was too tired from running, and didn't really want to make a scene in front of her classmates.<p>

Ever since she had socked Gary in the cafeteria in front of everyone, nobody dared lay a finger on her, especially Gary. For once in her life she didn't feel so dependent on someone, she was capable if defending even herself.

***WAM!***

May leap backwards, startled as a blur ran into Ash, knocking them both on the ground.

"Oooooooh..." Ash groaned.

"Yowch... AHH! The ground! I'm touching the ground!"

May didn't need to look to see who it was. Barry quickly got to his feet.

"Barry..." Ash groaned, rubbing his head, "You seriously need to watch where you're going..."

May raised a brow, "Why were you in such a hurry anyways?" Barry suddenly panicked as May asked the question, and hid behind Ash as he heard someone shout.

"Barry! Come out and face your fate like a man!"

May spun around and saw Dawn angrily approaching them.

"Heh, I think fate wants me back here instead," Barry said from behind Ash. Dawn stormed in the direction of Ash, who didn't want to be run over by Dawn. Ash stepped to the side, leaving Barry open. Barry let out a loud gasp.

"You traito-" he began, but was cut off as Dawn tackled him to the ground, obviously not as worried as May was about making a scene.

"Ash! Tell my mom... I loved her!" Barry exclaimed. Ash rolled his eyes and shrugged to May. She smirked and giggled.

"I'll also tell her what really happened to her toaster," Ash said with smile.

"GAH!" Barry exclaimed, "Don't do that! She'll kill me!" May titled her and looked down at poor Barry, who was still pinned to the ground by Dawn.

"But won't you already be dead?" May asked. Barry blinked a few times.

"Oh yeah... WAIT!" Barry exclaimed.

"Barry!" Dawn shouted, "Shut up for a second."

"Yes, mother," Barry said, rolling his eyes.

Ash and May grabbed Dawn and pulled her back before she literally tried to strangle Barry, who stood up and backed off.

"Ten second head start, Barry," Ash said, "10 - 9 - 8 ..." Ash began to count, Barry nodded and dashed off, Ash reached zero and he and May let go of Dawn. She brushed herself off and dashed after Barry.

"Hopefully his long legs will save him," May said, Ash nodded in agreement.

"I wonder what got her so worked up," Ash said, May shrugged and the two walked into the school.

* * *

><p>"Seems that you're feeling better Dawn," Ash said, "You're perkier."<p>

Dawn smiled deviously and shrugged, "Yeah, I got all my anger out on this punching bag I found." Barry walked up to the table, plopping down; he didn't look the best, like he was going to fall over.

"A tall blonde punching bag named Barry," Dawn added, Ash looked at Barry.

"How on earth did you make her so angry?" Ash asked, Barry shrugged.

"He called me fat!" Dawn claimed.

"I did not!" Barry insisted, "I said you weighed a lot!"

"What's difference does that make?" Dawn asked loudly.

"Well you were climbing onto my back for a piggy back ride just to start!" Barry exclaimed. Dawn stood up, leaning over the table and into Barry's face, glaring at him menacingly.

"Don't worry Dawn," Ash said, "Barry isn't even strong enough to lift a baby."

"That's ri- HEY!" Barry exclaimed. Dawn laughed and sat back down.

"So did you get your grade from Mr. James?" Dawn asked Ash. Who shook his head and sighed.

"Not until after school today," Ash said.

"Ah! There's a hair in my food!" Barry exclaimed, pulling a hair off his plate and holding it up.

"It's black..." Barry said, glaring at Dawn.

"Oh, oops..." Dawn said innocently.

"I SHOULD FINE YOU!" Barry exclaimed, standing up from his seat.

"I should fine you!" Dawn said, also standing up and getting up in Barry's face.

"WHY? I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING?" Barry shouted.

"For having such a big mouth!" Dawn stated.

**"I DO NOT HAVE A BIG MOUTH!" **Barry exclaimed. Dawn, Ash, and May sweat-dropped. "I SHOULD FINE YOU FOR-!" Barry began, but stopped short when Dawn slapped him on the face.

"OW!" Barry exclaimed, rubbing his cheek.

Dawn raised a brow, "You're not gonna fine me?" she asked.

"Nah, I deserved that..." Barry groaned, Ash and May exchanges glances, confused by Barry's sudden move change. He and Dawn sat back down and continued eating.

"Now I know how to fix you if you start messing up again," Dawn said with a chuckle, Barry sighed and rolled his eyes.

They sat there silently for a few minutes, eating their cafeteria food. Dawn was the one to break the silence.

"So guys..." Dawn began, they all looked up and over at her, she was looking at her plate of food, a small smile on her face, "Life doesn't suck anymore..."

Ash, May, and Barry exchanged glances. "That's good to hear," May said happily.

"Life is actually pretty awesome right now," Dawn said, now in her own world.

"That's great, Dawn," Ash said, putting some food in his mouth.

Barry looked at Dawn, as if inspecting her, "Then why are you still emo?" Dawn snapped out of her trance and looked at Barry, her smile widening.

"I'm not anymore... I don't think..." Dawn said, scratching her left arm.

Barry gestured to her clothes, "But you're still dressed like an emo person." Dawn looked down. Indeed, she was still wearing her normal "emo" clothes and makeup.

"Maybe that because I haven't gotten new clothes yet, moron!" Dawn said, giving Barry a light shove.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Barry said, beginning to eat his food again.

May was surprised, she had a hard time imagining Dawn wearing something like a regular girl for once. She had always known Dawn as the emo girl she was. But now with the friendship of Barry and Ash, she must have seen a new light, as May had.

* * *

><p>May and Ash stood before the desk of Mr. James, there to receive Ash's test score, which they both hoped would at least be an A minus. Mr. James sat behind the desk, inspecting the paper over, giving it the final grade.<p>

Ash exchanged glances with May, the suspense was killing them. Ash would wince every time Mr. James would sigh, grunt, or make any other sound. May laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder, hoping to help him calm down.

Mr. James pushed his light lavender hair from his face and looked up at the two children, and wordlessly tossed the test sheet on his desk for Ash and May to see.

They exchanged glances again before looking down at the paper. In red ink, circled and written down by the percentage was an-

"A-," Ash said, solemnly before suddenly perking up, "An A minus! I got an A minus!" Ash turned to May with a hand raised for a high-five. But May ignored the high five, she closed her eyes and leaned forward, pressing her lips against his, hugging him tightly. She kissed the surprised boy for a few second before Mr. James coughed to get their attention,

"This is a school, take your business elsewhere, before I suspend you," Mr. James insisted, hint of playfulness laced in his voice. May let go of Ash and stopped kissing him, blushing deep red. Without a word, she ran out of the room, leaving a dumbfounded Ash standing in the empty classroom, blinking stupidly.

He opened his mouth to say something to Mr. James, but couldn't seem to get it out, and just muttered a couple of random noises.

Mr. James smirked, "She caught you off guard, did she not?"

Ash nodded, looking at the door May had hurried out of. "Maybe you should stop standing there like a retarded Watchog and go find her," Mr. James said with a chuckle, grabbing the test sheet with Ash's grade and stuffing it into his desk. He stood up and grabbed his keys, walking to the door to the classroom.

Ash didn't move, and just watched Mr. James open the classroom door...

_... Like a retarded Watchog..._

James looked at him and opened the door, "Unless you'd like some extra homework, I'd like to go home, now get out."

The second Ash heard "homework" he dashed out of the room as if he were being chased by an angry Gengar. Mr. James chuckled and stepped out, locking the door shut.

* * *

><p>Ash walked out of the school, and found Barry and Dawn standing there waiting for him.<p>

"Did you pass the test?" Dawn asked, Ash nodded, still unable to speak. "What happened to May? We saw her run out of the school, completely ignore our presence, and run down the road.

"Which way?" Ash asked, suddenly able to speak properly. Barry pointed down the road, south.

_Oh, I know where she is_... Ash thought to himself.

* * *

><p>May sat on a picnic table under a tree. The place she had first tried ice cream, the place she and her friends had hung out. Every time she came she always had a good time.<p>

Except for this time... She sat at the bench and sighed, recalling the previous events that had recently occurred.

_I can't believe I did that, _she thought to herself, I wasn't thinking, it was such a spur of the moment thing.

May picked at the faded paint that was peeling off the picnic table she was at. She sighed again and put her chin in her hands and rested her elbows on the table.

_I lost control of my emotions,_ she continued thinking_, it was stupid, and now I have to face-  
><em>  
>"I thought I would find you here."<p>

May twisted around to see who was there. "Ash..." she said quietly, before turning back around so her back was facing the boy. She heard leaves crunch as Ash approached the table. He walked around and sat down across from her as she gazed at the table.

"Cone?"

May looked up at the boy she refused to look in the eyes, and saw two cones in his hands, extending out the green one to her.

"It's mint flavored, it's pretty good," Ash said, May smiled and quietly thanked him as she took the ice cream cone from his hands.

"But I lost the deal," May said before licking her ice cream, "You don't owe me any ice cream."

Ash shrugged, licking his own ice cream, "Eh, I figured it would a... Um... 'celebration' ice cream, in honor of my passing of the test."

May smiled and let out a soft giggle, but still refused to look Ash in the eye. She sighed and licked her ice cream a few times, determining it was her new favorite.

"So..." Ash began, seeming to become uneasy.

_Oh man, here it comes,_May thought, bracing herself.

"What is the secret you owe me?" Ash asked. May's sweat-dropped and she finally looked him in the eye.

"The kiss was the secret, you retarded Watchog!" May exclaimed, pushing Ash, who almost dropped his ice cream.

"It was?" Ash asked, May sighed and nodded, she could not believe Ash's denseness. "What does it mean?" Ash asked.

May face palmed and let out a frustrated growl, "What do you think a kiss means?" she asked.

"It could mean many things," Ash said, "people kiss in movies, and sometimes they love the person their kissing and sometimes they don't. It's kinda messed up"

May looked at him with surprise, he actually had a bit of a point. "Which type of kiss do want it to be?" she asked.

Ash blinked a few times and licked his cone, "Uh, I would rather it be legit..." he said with a shrug.

May smiled, and licked her cone before looking back over at Ash. "Want to try it again?" she asked.

* * *

><p>"Man those guys are late," Barry complained. He was sitting in front of Ash's house as Dawn walked about. "And they promised me a rematch at Clue!" Barry exclaimed, crossing his arms "If they don't hurry up I'm gonna have to fine them."<p>

"Not only are you a germaphoc, but you have no patience either," Dawn grumbled.

"We've been out here waiting for like... Five whole flipping minutes!" Barry said as he checked his watch.

"Well I'm sorry your highness, but you're going to be waiting," Dawn said, sitting down by Barry.

"You have some nerve! I should fi-"

***Slap***

Barry rubbed his cheek, now marked by a red handprint, "Sorry," he muttered. Dawn sighed laid down on her back, noting that Barry didn't do the same.

"Do you have any other fears, you know, aside from germs?" Dawn asked, now gazing at the sky.

Barry sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "Yeah, but you would laugh if I told you."

Dawn looked at him, "Come on, what could be funnier than germs?"

Barry scowled at her and looked up the sky, "I don't want to talk about it..."

"Please?"

"No."

"But now I have to know."

"You shouldn't have asked."

"I'll tell you my fear if you say yours."

Barry grunted, it was tempting, he looked down at the girl lying beside him, waiting for his answer, "Fine," he groaned, "but you have to promise two things..."

Dawn cocked her head, "What are they?" she asked.

Barry twisted around and looked her in the eye, "First, not to laugh, and second, not to tell anyone."

Dawn shrugged, sounded easy enough, "Okay, promise." she said.

Barry stuck out his pinky finger, "Pinky promise?" Dawn smiled and stuck out her pinky, hooking hers with Barry's.

"Pinky promise," Dawn assured him. Barry sighed and ran his hand through his hair again.

"Alright..." he said hesitantly, "Since I was a little boy... I've always been afraid of..."

"..."

"Miltanks."

...

"Pfffffffff-" Dawn trying to hold back but burst into laughter and began rolling around. Barry sweat-dropped.

"Promise one: already broken..." Barry said.

"You're afraid of Miltanks?" Dawn asked as she struggled to try to stop laughing.

"Have you ever looked those demons in the eye?" Barry exclaimed "I swear they can eat our souls!" Dawn wiped away a tear, still giggling.

"Hmph, some friend you are," Barry grumbled, turned his back to Dawn. He jumped a tiny bit, startled when she hugged him from behind.

"I'm sorry," Dawn said innocently, as she hugged Barry "I won't tell anyone."

Barry sighed and crossed his arms, "Good, or I'll have to fine you." he awkwardly wrapped his arms around Dawn, trying to reach from behind.

They let go of each other and Barry turned around, now facing Dawn, "So what's your fear?" he asked Dawn.

Dawn shivered and goosebumps appeared on her arms, "Ariados," Dawn muttered, "I hate Ariados... Creepy crawly bug things..." She leaned against Barry and shivered again, Barry was surprised with how much it affected her.

Barry looked down at Dawn as she looked up at him, their forehead and noses touching, looking into each other's eyes. To Barry, the moment felt weird, but right.

_"Ahem."_

Barry and Dawn looked and saw Ash and May standing a few yards away. They quickly let go of each other and back away, lightly blushing.

"What took you two so long?" Barry blurted, tapping his foot, "If you can't give me a good explanation I'm gonna have go fine you!"

"Chill, Barry," Ash said, walking past them and unlocking the front door to his house, "We just went and got some ice cream."

Dawn huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You had ice cream without us?" She pouted playfully. Ash chuckled and shook his head, unlocked the door, pushing it open.

"I want a rematch in Clue now!" Barry exclaimed, dashing into the house. "You're going down, May!" he said.

May laughed and cracked her knuckles, "We'll see about that!"

* * *

><p>"You kissed him?" Dawn exclaimed, "Is that why you ran out of the school?"<p>

"I kissed him twice." May replied.

"When was the second time?" Dawn asked.

May smiled, she felt a warm feeling inside just thinking about it, "At the ice cream parlor."

The two girls were walking down the road to their houses. May had won at Clue again, much to Barry's dismay. But it was getting late and they all had school the next day, so they had to say goodbye and go their separate ways.

"I came this close to kissing Barry today," Dawn said, holding her hand up and putting the tips of her index finger and thumb centimeters apart. Dawn suddenly put her hand down and slapped her hand over her mouth, realizing what she had just said aloud.

May smirked and giggled, "Looks like the cats out of the bag now." she said with a smile.

Dawn grabbed her arm and looked her in the eye, "Don't tell anyone I said that." Dawn said desperately.

May giggled again and nodded, "I won't tell..." Dawn sighed with relief and let go of May's arm.

They walked in silence for a few minutes until May spoke up, "So you do like him?"

Dawn sighed and shrugged, "He's an overly energetic spaz, a germaphoc, has an issue with fines, and Arceus knows what else..." Dawn grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest, "but yeah, I do..." she mumbled quietly, May almost didn't hear her.

They reached May's house where she would go inside and Dawn would continue back home.

"You know we went through your neighborhood the other day?" May said, "It's pretty creepy."

Dawn rolled her eyes and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, and imagine how bad it is at night," she said, "I've almost been kidnapped before."

"You should move to a different neighborhood," May said, "Yours is just plain dangerous..."

Dawn nodded again, "Yeah, tell that to my Mom, she thinks I'm over reacting."

* * *

><p>May, Ash, and Barry sat in front of the school the next day, waiting for Dawn to arrive.<p>

"Hmph," Barry grunted, "I should-"

"No, Barry, you're not going to fine her," Ash said rolling his eyes.

"Fine - I mean- okay," Barry muttered.

A kid walked by a gave May a hard shove, knocking her to the ground.

"Hey!" Ash exclaimed angrily, the boy turned around, a familiar smug look on his face.

"Gary!" Barry exclaimed, they all stood up.

"Oh, sorry, didn't see you there," Gary said mockingly, watching with a smirk as the three's anger level began to rise.

"Gary! What is wrong with you?" Ash asked angrily, using all of his self control to not hit him. May on the other hand, was not as controlled, she stood up, lunging at Gary, who just sidestepped and pushed her away. May turned and tackled Gary to the ground, sitting on top of him to pin him down.

"Oh, so who's the bully now?" Gary asked, "You're no better than me now..."

May was about to object, but stopped short, he was right, what she was doing was just bringing herselfdown to his level. She quickly got off of him and backed off. Gary got up with a smirk, before shaking his head and walking into the school building.

"Let him go, May..." Ash said quietly. May just sighed, turning to Ash and hugging him.

"What did I miss?"

Everyone turned in the direction of the voice, and saw Dawn walking up, but something was different about her. She didn't wear her depressing black and pink clothes, the eye liner and weird bracelets. She was dressed... Like a normal girl.

Ash simply look surprised while May and Barry's jaws went slack, all these years and May had never known just what Dawn looked like under all her makeup. She wasn't wearing any of her emo clothes. Dawn had on a white beanie, a black sleeveless vest, a pink skirt and pink boots. What surprised May the most was Dawn's hair. May had always thought it was naturally black, but that was gone and her hair was now dark blue.

"Would you believe how much time and special soap it took me to get the black hair color from my hair?" Dawn asked, "I was up until one last night getting it out."

"..."

Dawn looked at her friends who were all still silent, Ash was the first to break the silence, as May and Barry had not moved, "You look great, Dawn, it better suits you."

Dawn smiled and twirled around, "You think so?" she asked.

"Wow," Barry finally said, grabbing his slack jaw with his hand and clamping his mouth shut, "You look amazing..."

Ash raised a brow and motioned to May to follow him, "Let's go, May." May nodded and followed him into the school winking at Dawn on the way in. Dawn sighed and walked up to Barry.

"Would you fine me if I kissed you right now?" Dawn asked. Barry blinked and shook his head, surprising Dawn and even himself. Dawn stood on her tip toes and kissed Barry on the lips.

...

"Well?" Dawn asked after they separated, looking up hopefully at the surprised Barry.

"You don't charge for those right?" Barry asked. Dawn made a confused face and shook her head.

"Okay, then I won't either," He said, leaning down and kissing her back. Dawn's face brightened as she and Barry embraced.

Meanwhile, Ash and May had been watching through the windows on the door from inside the building. Ash sort of ruined the moment for May though.

"Who on earth would charge for a kiss?" He asked, May sighed and face-palmed, not believing his denseness.

"And who on earth would pay for a kiss? It's not worth it," He asked, but May grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him forward and kissed him. She pulled back and looked at Ash, who sighed and scratched the back of his head, "Okay, on second thought, maybe it is worth it."

* * *

><p><em><strong>The End<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>I was happy with this fic when I first wrote it, now I'm not as much… Oh well, good learning experience in its own way, shows me where I have and haven't grown.<strong>

**It had its corny moments but it was definitely an experience. I have to admit, Twinleafshipping has grown on me because of this fic.**

_**The Shiny Gengar**_


End file.
